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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25099036">Forget-me-not</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ednelium/pseuds/Ednelium'>Ednelium</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Romance, Art, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Confused dreams, Dark, Flowers, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, MadaTobi Week 2020, Madara doesn't know what to do, Madara wins, Past Relationship(s), Some parts are on Infinite Tsukuyomi, Suicidal Thoughts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 07:42:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>33,432</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25099036</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ednelium/pseuds/Ednelium</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Not even a new God can escapes of having an tormentor.<br/>Madara has always had dreams.<br/>They never came true and even now, after his victory, the chances of some happiness are constantly taken from him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Senju Tobirama/Uchiha Madara</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>144</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>MadaTobi Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Making everything red</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi, everyone.<br/>This is my first fanfic of my "first works", not only in events, but also in another language.<br/>About this work, at some point suicide will be referenced and vaguely described, but I still want to prevent someone from any discomfort.<br/>Besides that, I hope you enjoy the work and the art, that I made myself.<br/>For now, this is just a prologue.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Not even a new God can escapes of having an tormentor.<br/>Madara has always had dreams.<br/>They never came true and even now, after his victory, the chances of some happiness are constantly taken from him.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, everyone.<br/>This is my first fanfic of my "first works", not only in events, but also in another language.<br/>About this work, at some point suicide will be referenced and vaguely described, but I still want to prevent someone from any discomfort.<br/>Besides that, I hope you enjoy the work and the art, that I made myself.<br/>For now, this is just a prologue.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> For some, happiness had golden gates </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And maybe, it can never enter through them </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Thus, from the golden the despair arose</em>
</p><p> </p><p>In his dreams, Madara was always fighting, running, fighting again and so on, always restarting the cycle until he woke up…</p><p>And even in his dreams, a feeling of fatigue was present with muscles tired from almost endless exercise, a head aching from sheer exhaustion or a body sweaty from hard work and tears of blood painting his face…</p><p>At some point in his dream, everything disappears and peace comes.</p><p>Madara was there again, in this immense flowered field with a red sky with black clouds, but this time, there were differences. </p><p>They weren't red sunflowers, his favorite flowers, to fill the field, but blue flowers. Small ones, fragile and docile flowers that Madara knows so well and appreciates its meaning for a long time, but that at the moment, it was <em> odious </em> as the body that rested on them.</p><p>And there he goes to complete his work, sitting on the body, leaning on one hand and taking a weapon with the other.</p><p>The white skin that shone like alabaster below him, it doesn't match the whole local scene. Madara knew he was dreaming. This dream repeats itself so many times, but at that time, <em> they </em> were finally together.</p><p>Completely oblivious to Madara, the other man remains serene and rests on the flowers with open arms, looking away, <em> singing </em> some symphony without lyrics, just humming.</p><p>His clothes, Madara well knew, were desirable for a short period of time in the past. White and red with long and noble fabrics, but at that moment, there is no red in the clothes, only blue.</p><p><em> Tobirama </em> has always been against the rules, in some way.</p><p>Madara felt his lips curl a little, as if on a muscular contraction, and recorded his own action in a practical way like a smile. He liked the familiar sense of amused frustration in his mind, once so present in years past, but now a vague memory.</p><p>He brought one of his hands to the man's face below him and stroked it, feeling a little upset by his gloves not allowing full contact, but there was always another way.</p><p>Madara leans forward and kisses in a chaste manner, just touching their lips for a short time. The other man's humming didn't stop for a moment and maybe he wasn't actually making the sound the whole time.</p><p>The Uchiha chose to stay in that proximity shape for a while with the face parallel to the body below and then, he looked at the blue flowers.</p><p><em> Forget-me-not</em>. Or <em> myosotis</em>, as Tobirama called it <em> that day</em>.</p><p>They weren’t his lover's favorite flowers, but Madara gave to him anyway, simply because he liked their meaning and intentions implied in the language of flowers.</p><p>
  <em> Favorite memories. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Loyalty even when separated. </em>
</p><p><em> True and eternal love</em>.</p><p>In addition, they were blue. <em> They </em> combined with Tobirama.</p><p>Those were good times and Madara enjoyed them with dedication and quiet appreciation, but it was over.</p><p>And with that thought, he once again kissed his lover and finally, moved away, getting back to his sitting initial position. Then, raise a kunai into the air and go down to pierce and spill blood. Not once one time, but several times, again and again...</p><p>The small blue flowers turn red with blood and of the dress noble blue appears the profound scarlet. </p><p>In this way, <em> Tobirama </em> finally became one with the environment and with Madara's <em> dream</em>.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Bloody beginning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>During the first dawn, Madara and his new world were already dreaming.<br/>During the first evening, Madara was awakened by grudges from the past.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, everyone.<br/>I'm here to say thanks for read the first one and I hope you like the second chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As soon as Madara opened his eyes, waking up to the sounds of laughter, he knew it had worked. At least, that was what it looked like.</p><p>Almost a century later and he was still able to distinguish his brothers' laughter, even in the midst of the cacophony that happened when everyone laughed together.</p><p>In an attempt to assure his hope that it was all real, Madara activated his sensory abilities and searched the nearest areas, analyzing the chakras reached and there was no longer any doubt, his other four brothers were there. This time, alive, healthy and in Konoha, as in any dream he had after his first death at the hands of his best friend.</p><p>"I think you hit it really hard." Someone commented and then, Izuna appeared in front of his field of vision. "<em>Nii-san </em>, are you okay?"</p><p>Madara smiled.</p><p>
  <em> It had really worked. </em>
</p><p>Izuna helped him to his feet, while his other brothers made fun of him.</p><p>"Our future Hokage is still unable to dodge my big attack." One of his older brothers commented.</p><p>"Nothing to worry about." Another replied. "The Hokage doesn't even go into battle."</p><p>His brothers laughed again, even Izuna at his side. They continued to talk about how Madara's end would not come from war, as he had proudly predicted since he was eleven, but through a huge pile of papers.</p><p>His other younger brother adjusted his clothes with light slaps, in an attempt to clean up some dust and declared how sad it was to have ended with a dramatic note in his voice. Madara pushed him aside slightly.</p><p>
  <em> Younger brothers. </em>
</p><p>He acknowledged that he had awakened in that world during one of his collective training sessions among his brothers. They always started against each other, each for themselves, but after a while, Madara and Izuna would unite to overthrow their other two older brothers, while his other young brother  would "surrender" and stay as a judge.</p><p>As the morning progressed, Madara quickly learned that within Tsukuyomi there were not many differences, the world was practically the same. Konoha was practically the same, however, their stories were different.</p><p>The Uchihas and Senjus were not at war when he was born, so Hashirama and he did not need to separate and had known each other since that time until they could finally found Konoha.</p><p>They had a good relationship, the Uchihas and the Senjus, so when Hashirama proposed the leadership of the village to Madara, the Senjus did not speak out, although they demanded high positions and direct advice from the new leader.</p><p>Nothing out of the ordinary of the Senjus' pernicious nature, that even in a perfect world did not cease to exist, Madara believed.</p><p>Soon the ceremony would be held in honor of his ascension and Madara would not deny that inside, he was anxious.</p><p>In the past, when Hashirama proposed the post to him, he found it unnecessary, because he himself saw no purpose in being Hokage, as his only desire to build the village was <em> taken away </em> from him. In fact, Madara saw Hashirama's suggestion more as a consolation prize than something honorable. So, he didn't even hesitate to present himself with disgust at the request of the leader of the Senjus and as time went on, he wished to receive the offer again, only it was too late…</p><p>But this time, Madara had no reason to reject the idea of leading his creation.</p><p>That day in that new world was troubled with him walking with his brothers throughout the village.</p><p>Madara liked the feeling of not being looked at with fear or suspicion, as it did in the past. Now they were just looks of admiration and sympathy.</p><p>He had lunch with his whole family. His brothers, his wives and his nephews.</p><p>Madara always wanted nephews, however, the closest he got to that in his other life were the children of Hashirama and they were not very close.</p><p>Then Madara and Izuna spent the afternoon together. They trained among themselves, as they always liked to do.</p><p>
  <em> Madara won all the matches and Izuna would buy him a lunch. </em>
</p><p>They had lunch in an expensive restaurant that gave him the meal as a gift.</p><p>
  <em> Luckily for Izuna, as Madara had ordered expensive dishes. </em>
</p><p>Madara bought some treats for his nephews.</p><p>
  <em> He had liked the dango shop. </em>
</p><p>And then, they went to the Tower to see how the room was being renovated.</p><p>"Nii-san." Izuna said before entering their office. "I have a surprise for you."</p><p>Madara expected a box, a scroll, even an animal, but not a member of the Nara clan.</p><p>"Good afternoon." The man bowed.</p><p>"This is your new advisor." Izuna explained with a smile.</p><p>
  <em> (Madara had missed the details so much.) </em>
</p><p>"The Nara clan has great honor in being able to serve you in this way, Hokage." The Nara man explained.</p><p>Madara raised an eyebrow, a little skeptical. Not that he despised his brother's attentiveness in trying to help him, but to be his right hand, he preferred someone<em> already known</em>. </p><p>"Right." Madara replied and passed the man.</p><p>Izuna spoke to the man Nara explaining that he could advance the work for now. Madara turned his face away, waited for his brother to finish going over his orders instead and then called him.</p><p>"Izuna. Come here."</p><p>The younger Uchiha approached, muttering.</p><p>"I thought we had agreed with the Senjus that the high posts could be distributed to them." Madara enunciated.</p><p>"And who would hold that position?" Izuna inquired, crossing his arms. "Hashirama?"</p><p>Madara narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips.</p><p>Izuna made a bad joke about Hashirama's practical competence in theory of management roles. Madara looked at the man Nara who was adjusting some scrolls in the distance and then complained to his brother about ordering the Nara man as a slave.</p><p>"Soon you get used to it." Izuna responded with indifference.</p><p>Madara rolled his eyes at his brother who soon changed the subject, reminding him that he still had proof of clothes that afternoon.</p><p>The older Uchiha sighed and then had an idea. He picked up a paper and a brush, writing quickly and letting the wet ink make elaborate curves that would take time to dry. While Izuna was talking about something related to some other commitment, Madara called his new "right hand" and handed him the paper.</p><p>"I want you to buy these flowers and deliver them to that address." Madara demanded in a low voice.</p><p>The man nodded, but before Madara could leave with his brother, the Nara man stopped him.</p><p>"Sir. I think I got it wrong…"</p><p>"No. That's right." Madara replied. "Forget-me-not."</p><p>"But the person-"</p><p>"Just do it." The Uchiha spoke and soon left the office, following in his brother's footsteps.</p><p>Izuna was right. He would get used to it.</p><p>After trying on clothes for the Hokage's robes, Madara still had dinner with one of his other brothers. Right after a meeting with the entire Uchiha clan and then, a private meeting with Hashirama and one of his other brothers, <em> Itama</em>.</p><p>(An image of a smiling bicolored-haired child flashed in Madara's mind.)</p><p>"Do you think we can keep the direction of the hospital?" Hashirama questioned with a frown. "Mito and I have so many plans."</p><p>"No doubt." Madara declared to drink from the sake. "As agreed. I am Hokage and you take the other senior positions."</p><p>Normally, Madara would be against that. However, this was a perfect world, what could go wrong?</p><p>They continued in the job distribution debate until late at night, when Madara finally managed to leave and was able to be alone to contemplate his thoughts. He headed for the highest point in Konoha, the top of the mountain, not before passing his office, taking the Hokage's hat and putting it on. On the mountain, everything was dark and the lights they had were from the houses and establishments in the lower part, visible from the hill.</p><p>Madara breathed the fresh air and felt the cool breeze against his face.</p><p>
  <em> He really did. </em>
</p><p>After more than fifty years, after two deaths, after an almost endless fight against the entire shinobi world, from the samurai to a descendant of Hashirama, he finally won his prize…</p><p>The recreation of the world at his will. No pain, no losses, no wars. Just good futures in eternal dreams.</p><p>Madara had seen no need to remain in an now empty world and joined the rest of humanity at Tsukuyomi. And despite his doubts here and there, he was really satisfied with the results, the Tsukuyomi Infinito was perfect.</p><p>"<em>Myosotis?</em>"</p><p>Madara turned in almost amazement when he heard the voice at his back.</p><p>His newly activated sensory abilities and sharingan denounced his visitor.</p><p>The Uchiha smiled. "Weren't they your favorite flowers?"</p><p><em> "Not in this world." </em> Tobirama replied, approaching. "Long day?"</p><p>Madara did not answer. His gaze was still on the other man.</p><p>The same appearance, the same voice, the same mannerisms, the same look. However, now there was a softness. Madara was able to recognize, simply because a long time in the past, during the years of exclusion after his first death, he wondered how far Tsukuyomi's skills went.</p><p>Madara feared a <em> distortion </em> in his loved ones by the change in events. <em> The main events</em>. With Tobirama, the main event, it was his only two younger brothers to be killed and Madara knew it. </p><p>Of the many times he stayed with Tobirama, he was still able to remember his lover praying early in the morning in front of a small altar for the souls of his brothers.</p><p>Ever. Everyday.</p><p>And he knew them too. Not for Tobirama, but for old and little pictures that Hashirama kept and once showed him.</p><p>
  <em> (Itama was Tobirama’s favorite brother.) </em>
</p><p>In this world, Tobirama never lost his brothers and although he was himself, there were very few changes here and there.</p><p>Madara turned away and confessed. "I missed you."</p><p>Tobirama stopped beside him and looked at the sky.</p><p>"I know." Senju issued it. "That's why I'm here."</p><p>"Really? Not even one ‘<em>Me too</em>’?" Madara frowned and pursed his lips in question.</p><p>"<em>Keep dreaming</em>." Senju replied.</p><p>Tobirama was not with his family.</p><p>His brothers, his sister-in-law and other relatives wanted to participate in politics, but he was only mentoring a genin team.</p><p>Madara wondered if it was a way for his subconscious to keep his lover off the path that led to his death in the past.</p><p>"Why are you wearing the hat?" Tobirama asked, still looking at the starry sky.</p><p>Madara took the hat from the front door and lowered it, as if to hide his face. "I wanted to see how it looked."</p><p>"You will do well. You will see." The Senju expressed confidence in his voice.</p><p>Madara smiled and turned, approaching the other man and placing his hands at strategic points, preparing to kiss him, but Tobirama turned away.</p><p>"What?" The brunette asked, trying to understand the expression of the other.</p><p>"<em>You</em>." Tobirama replied simply.</p><p>Madara smiled again and approached his body to the other man's. "What? Can't I be romantic?"</p><p>Tobirama remained with his face turned, but there was a very smooth movement on his lips that indicated the feeling of fun.</p><p>"We have a good view under a beautiful sky." Madara described it. "Everything is perfect."</p><p>At that moment, Tobirama looked at him sideways with a serene countenance. "Are you sure about this?"</p><p>Madara just made a positive sound with his throat, regardless as he leaned forward and started to kiss on the other man's neck. He felt Senju take a hand to his hair.</p><p>They remained that way for a few silent seconds, until Tobirama again manifested.</p><p>"You are so wrong."</p><p>Madara ceased with his touches, but did not move away.</p><p>"There is no happiness for someone like you, Madara." Tobirama articulated in a placid voice, too placid to the point that looked of emptiness of any emotion. "You will never be happy. You don't deserve it."</p><p>Confused, Madara chose to walk away from his lover.</p><p>"What are you-" The Uchiha shut his mouth when he saw blood on the man's face. "Tobirama?"</p><p>There were tears of blood and more blood running down his face, from the corners of his lips. That was when Madara noticed the other man's body softening and <em> weighing</em>, pulling him forward, where further on he had only darkness, no longer the tiny lights of the village houses.</p><p>"You already had your chance and threw it away." Tobirama uttered almost choking on the very blood that was pouring from his mouth. "Now, it's my turn."</p><p>The Senju man leaned forward, using his support on the other man to pull himself up, approaching their faces in parallel and thus whispering in Madara's ear.</p><p>"<em>I'm leaving you.</em>"</p><p>Tobirama took the hat that an astonished Madara wore and fell against the ground, but not like an unconscious body, just like a huge pool of blood that branched in countless directions, as if forming rivers of only a small amount. The starry sky collapsed and became a scarlet plane with black clouds.</p><p>
  <em> Then, Madara woke up. </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Once</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Once, Madara enjoyed the village, perhaps not as much as he would with Izuna at his side safe and healthy, but there was no negative feeling there. At least not in the beginning.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, everyone.<br/>I'm a little late, but here's the third chapter.<br/>Hope you like it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once, Madara thought that it would be the Senjus who took Izuna from him, in fact, Hashirama's brother in particular. However, it was in an ambush of the Uchihas' own allies, the Hagoromos, that took Izuna's life. Meanwhile, the Senjus were focused on another service in the Land of Woods and their brother's nemesis was not even in the Land of Fire.</p><p>And Madara tried to continue his life without his brother, but... there was no more sense. Hashirama wanted the village to prevent the deaths of children, as happened to his other brothers. Madara, on the other hand, just wanted to protect his brother. A selfish and completely superb goal when compared to the resplendence of Hashirama's altruism.</p><p>He tried to work with the Senju brothers and although Hashirama was complicated to deal with because of his naivete and stubbornness, Madara still struggled, because it was precisely these defects that allowed the leader of the Senjus to not only still have faith that his intentions would work, but also that Madara was someone with good intentions after all.</p><p>Still, none of that was enough.</p><p>The Senju brothers, always in his pursuit, never understood what he was going through. Not only because they do not have the same type of relationship or also because they still have one or the other, but above all, because they have a “<em>blood pact</em>” between them that evoked the oath that even in the death of the other, there would be no search for revenge, but rather, continuity towards its goal for peace.</p><p>(It was what Tobirama did many years later).</p><p>For Madara, that was stupid. He couldn't agree with the idea even for a second. When he thought about it, he always considered how the whole world should burn because Izuna's death had happened.</p><p>How the Hagoromos should burn.</p><p>Such ideas still continued, even after the clan joined Konoha.</p><p>Madara, even after <em> all that </em>, could not say whether he would like to extinguish the Hagoromos of the planet, or the Senjus for their disdain, or the <span class="st"> Hyūga</span>s for their pride or all the other clans that looked at him with suspicion and only pretended indifference…</p><p>He didn't really know.</p><p>He just wanted <em> to burn. Burn to ash. </em></p><p>He wanted that feeling of emptiness to disappear, but deep down, not even the whole world being burned would make that feeling disappear.</p><p>
  <em> He should be the one who had to disappear. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Once, Madara enjoyed the village, perhaps not as much as he would with Izuna at his side safe and sound, but there was no negative feeling there. At least not in the beginning.</p><p>Although angry and displeased with Hashirama's rise to power, he congratulated him. Madara even accepted the job offered as the new Hokage's <em> right-hand man</em>. Because even in the midst of all his anguish, there were still <em> reflexes</em>, feelings of pure disgust and it was these emotions that made him assist Hashirama, because he certainly could not tolerate the Hokage wanting to please everyone and even more, the Senjus getting the credits and wanting dominate everything under their serene masks.</p><p>And there he was, Tobirama with his mask of imperious coldness and his sharp eyes watching everyone over his brother's shoulder, especially Madara.</p><p>Sometimes, the Uchiha could feel Tobirama's gaze watching him, still and oppressive. Silently waiting for him to slowly lose control over himself.</p><p>Some nights, during his sudden awakenings of nightmares, in that brief moment of paralysis, where he just blinked and breathed hard, Madara could see the look of Hashirama's brother on him, as if he were always <em> there </em> watching him sleeping.</p><p>Tobirama always knew that he would not last.</p><p>So, Madara dedicated himself more and as a result, he set his eyes on the greatest treasure that could be at that moment.</p><p>However, as often after his brother's departure, he quickly lost interest, because in the end, it was worthless. Even if out of pride he wanted to prove that he, like Hashirama, cared for the best of the newly created Konohagakure, after a while, he soon gave up, because in the end, nothing would change.</p><p>Maybe, he was expecting quick results, but it didn't matter. He soon realized that even as an aide to the Hokage, his own clan preferred to turn the trust in Hashirama, a man who, despite easy smiles and kindness, was still a Senju. The other clans repeated the same pattern of behavior.</p><p>Madara was alone in murky waters, trying to swim against the opposite direction of the current.</p><p>
  <em> He give up. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Once, Madara smiled.</p><p>And even if only for a little while, he left the dark and vindictive thoughts about his brother's death a little aside.</p><p>That time, he fell on expensive sheets, smelling pleasant and seductive touches. Madara chose to forget any negative feelings for even a few hours, but in the end, the weight of his small and secret sin lasted for more than half a century…</p><p>After everyone's suspicions, the deep emptiness in his soul ate away at him in such a way that it seemed that at any moment he would enter into <em> self-combustion</em>. Always burning, always burning, always hurting …</p><p>Madara got angry of his own agony.</p><p>Putting out fire with more fire seemed like the best alternative.</p><p>He faced Tobirama.</p><p>Madara expected a confrontation and a stroke of pity for him to give up on it all, but nothing went as planned when Tobirama was placed as part of the events. So, Madara allowed himself one more try.</p><p>An attempt that lasted for almost a year and brought him good results, even though in the end it was not forever as he once wished.</p><p>It was the only time in his life after Izuna's death when Madara actually considered that maybe, just maybe, he could move on. Maybe one day, he would overcome Izuna's death and that way, maybe one day, he wouldn't spend fifteen minutes thinking about the temptations of poison in his own morning tea.</p><p>Madara never thought if he <em> loved </em> his lover or if he should say such feelings to the other man. Tobirama had told him not to think about these things, so they just enjoyed each other's company as much as they could.</p><p>In some days, Madara had not wanted to leave the house or his room, but Tobirama did not pressure him and told him to take his own time. Although, he could see that Hashirama did not have the same patience and tried to hide behind all that enthusiasm.</p><p>The leader of the Senjus should probably think that the village itself should be enough to support Madara for the rest of his life, after Izuna's departure.</p><p>Madara believed that Hashirama did none of that because of some malice, but Hashirama saw light even where it shouldn't. He always had positive intentions.</p><p>Everything was easier for a man who was worshiped as a<em> god</em>.</p><p>Madara believed that the time when Hashirama and he had the same feeling had already passed. He had failed in his goal and Hashirama was above it all with his family intact and ready to provide him with the security and comfort he needed.</p><p>All Madara had were the hours he talked to Hashirama about any bullshit while drinking tea and the moments he stayed with Tobirama.</p><p>His only support came from the Senjus.</p><p>How far he had <em> fallen</em>.</p><p>
  <em> He was pathetic. </em>
</p><p>When something was briefly mentioned about these ideas, Tobirama <em> stepped back </em>and told him to talk to Hashirama about it.</p><p>Madara was irritated, because of all the people who could understand him, Hashirama was the last one. Not even Tobirama, who was like a shadow of the <em> God of the Shinobi</em>, was able to understand in the same way. Not with the glorification of his clan over his image, the support of his family, the affection of his friends, the admiration of his students... All of them dedicating their affection and dedication to him.</p><p>However, in the end, he did as his lover suggested.</p><p>Madara took his own time and one day, decided to change a little.</p><p>Hashirama's beaming smile after their conversation, while they visited the same river they had met in the past, was a good indicator that perhaps he was on the right track.</p><p>Maybe he could move on, after all.</p><p>
  <em> He wanted to believe so. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Once, Tobirama was injured.</p><p>It was all so fast and even though it was nothing that Tobirama's own skills and the security provided by Hashirama's healing skills could handle, Madara took a step back.</p><p>It had been his fault.</p><p>He saw the attack going towards his lover and he knew it would reach him, he knew it would hurt him, but he did nothing.</p><p>(He knew deep down, that Tobirama knew too.)</p><p>However, at that moment, Madara had a short memory lapse and even if it was for a few seconds, he forgot that Tobirama was now an ally, not the general of the Senjus army. And all Madara could hear during the lapse was his brother's voice telling him to take Tobirama down once and for all. </p><p>Madara felt that he had betrayed his lover at that moment and worse, betrayed Hashirama's friendship.</p><p>Tobirama could be his lover, but soon after he was Hashirama's younger brother, one who was just like Izuna: <em> the last remaining brother. </em></p><p>In addition to the realization that he had purposely let his lover be hurt and that he had betrayed Hashirama, there was another perception.</p><p>An idea that at night, seemed to crawl over the room and lean on Tobirama's back, looking at him with big yellow eyes…</p><p>Ensuring that his new design was just a matter of time to realize.</p><p>Madara realized that just as he lost Izuna, he was prone to lose other people.</p><p>Even if he one day overcame the loss of his younger brother, he would have to deal with the future full of chances of losing the new people close to him. Because the wars are not over. Even if the five great ninja nations were not fighting, there were other places where there were still clashes and it would only be a matter of time, the shinobi nations get involved…</p><p>And Madara didn't know if he would be able to go through <em> that </em>again, he hadn't even gotten over his brother's absence, he barely could imagine the other deaths after his…</p><p>When he tried to talk to Tobirama, he just couldn’t.</p><p>He had almost contributed to that idea happening. </p><p>Contributed to the loss of his lover. </p><p>Contributed to the loss of one of his greatest supports.</p><p>Long ago in the past, when the Senjus and Uchihas were still battling each other, Madara considered murdering Tobirama, but only because he was Izuna's rival. Since Tobirama had raised the dead, Madara realized that there was no chance that Hashirama's younger brother would ever create another sordid technique, one that specifically would give an end to his brother's life.</p><p>It was only a matter of time before that could happen.</p><p>He could not give himself the whim of trusting that the insanity and monstrosity that resided in the spirit of Tobirama would be merciful to Izuna.</p><p>However, he gave up.</p><p>He always gave up when he started looking for the killer to make the execution.</p><p>He always remembered Hashirama crying by the river about the loss of one of his younger brothers. So, Madara in a silent way of honoring the friendship they once had, never completed his plan.</p><p>All this, for years later he found out about the damned pact between the Senju brothers and realized that Hashirama could move on without his younger brother. He went through an initial rage, armed with envy, <em> something </em> that made the idea of murdering Tobirama tempting, all just to prove his point to Hashirama.</p><p>So they could be the same again…</p><p>But then, he soon realized that the pact theory was one thing, but the practice was something else …</p><p>Madara observed the way the Senju brothers acted with each other and something told him that not everything was as simple as the two brothers wanted to make it seem.</p><p>In the end, he didn't know what to do.</p><p>The wars going on, the idea of death, the feeling of emptiness, the possibility of it increasing.</p><p>If there was a chance to change that destiny, <em> he would</em>.</p><p>Even before the possibility of further losses was realized, <em> he burned</em>.</p><p><em> He accepted</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Once, Madara bought flowers. The same ones he used to give Tobirama on certain random occasions that only he knew the reason for, even though he knew they weren't the other man's favorites, but only to see his face.</p><p>And then, he headed for the forest where he was supposed to meet his lover so they could talk.</p><p>He already knew the answer to his request, but he still wanted to try, because at least he had the right to give Tobirama the option.</p><p>Madara informed him of his departure from the village and before the other man could manifest himself in any way, he asked Tobirama to come along.</p><p>Tobirama seemed almost outraged by the offer, but he soon changed his stance and calmed down, as he always did when he knew that diplomacy was the best way or when he was dealing with the <em> unstable Uchiha</em>.</p><p>"Madara." Senju spoke in a softer voice than usual. "If it were the other way around... Would you abandon your brother?"</p><p><em> Never </em>, it was Madara's answer.</p><p>Madara liked <em> that </em> in Tobirama, devotion to the family before other things, because it made them equal and with the same goals. Such detail would normally be a major problem in other relationships. They always knew each other's priorities.</p><p>He smiled after the implicit denial at his request and then attacked his lover, dominating him so that he would not act ahead of schedule and warn Hashirama.</p><p>Madara put Tobirama into a non-offensive genjutsu, only to stop him for a short time. Carefully, he laid his now ex-lover on the undergrowth of the forest where they were, placing the small arrangement of those tiny blue flowers beside his head.</p><p>
  <em> Favorite memories. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Loyalty even when separated. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> True and eternal love. </em>
</p><p>He walked away sadly, but Madara had already decided that for everything to work, he should leave everything behind.</p><p>He turned his back on the other man in a deep sleep, silently promising that one day everything would be resolved and the world would be truly saved. For now, all Madara could do for Tobirama would be to let him dream of his long-deceased younger brothers.</p><p>A small sample of his real plan for the future.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Later</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Later, during one of his researches on Hashirama's DNA, Madara was distracted by Zetsu's low laugh echoing through the cave. The Uchiha was about to complain to the creature when Zetsu reported Tobirama's death to him.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, everyone.<br/>I would like to thank you for the comments I received, they made me very happy.</p><p>This chapter is longer than all the others, so I hope you like it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Later, Madara left the village.</p><p>He met Hashirama at the Naka Shrine in front of the Uchiha clan's Stone Tablet and revealed his departure from the village and then finally abandoned his <em> old life</em>.</p><p>Madara isolated himself in Mountains' Graveyard, using it as a basis for the beginning of his plan. He still held the company of his <em> expressed will</em>, Zetsu who was always acting as his eyes and ears for the world and once before, for the village.</p><p>The Uchiha was still mixed with a feeling of sadness, which made each day seem worse than the last. He already had that feeling of emptiness that burned deeply, but abandoning the Senju brothers and the village proved to be an even more difficult task.</p><p>It was not as if Madara wanted to abandon them completely. He had considered the idea of dragging the Senju brothers into the plan, which would greatly facilitate the progress of the plan with Hashirama's DNA - <em> given with consent </em> - and the complement of Tobirama's intelligence, but the two Senju brothers really believed that the village was the best way.</p><p>They did not see that the creation of Konoha was just a ceasefire and that future generations would never fully understand its purpose, and one day forgetting the pains that wars were capable of bringing, they would instigate battles again and they would restart the cycle that Hashirama and he struggled so hard to break it.</p><p>Hashirama believed in the good intentions of creating the village.</p><p>Tobirama believed in the strengths of future generations.</p><p>Then, Tobirama refused his proposal and Hashirama killed him.</p><p>It hurt Madara deeply.</p><p>He already expected Tobirama's denial. In fact, receiving the denial only made him realize that Tobirama was in fact "the right person".</p><p>However, he did not expect to be killed by Hashirama.</p><p>He never expected it. It was very lucky that he activated Izanagi before.</p><p>Since discovering that ability after Izuna’s death, he activated it before any battle, any battle that was, in such a way, that he didn't even understand when he woke up in an underground ground with Zetsu by his side.</p><p>Hashirama had indeed killed him.</p><p>The Hokage had killed him because he was a "threat" to "his village".</p><p>From that moment on, it was <em> a game. </em></p><p>And again, as in the battles between their clans, Senju and Uchiha, Hashirama and Madara took the opposite sides in the disputes.</p><p>Madara would never deny.</p><p>He was still angry. Angry that Hashirama had chosen a flawed prototype of corruptions and weaknesses about his friendship. As he dreamed of a perfect world where they would maintain their friendship, Madara hated Hashirama deeply. Until his plan get completed, they were sworn enemies from that moment on.</p><p>Sometimes he would go out and walk around. He even went to a nearby city. It was there that Madara decided to isolate himself completely and forever, if possible. It was just a small town with limited resources, but still, Madara saw<em> things</em>.</p><p>There were some <em> things </em> for sale that included a seedling of tiny blue flowers that were on sale, amber and sandalwood incense sticks, vellum scrolls…</p><p>Madara can almost hear his lover's voice behind him.</p><p>He was tempted to buy the products, but for what? Give it to Tobirama?</p><p>The Senju man would easily link the gifts provided to people with knowledge of his tastes and despite the extensive list, it was only a matter of time before he considered the idea that in fact, Madara had never died.</p><p>And although Madara believes that Tobirama would never provide this secret to the world, he could give that information to Hashirama and then he would be hunted. He had abandoned everything and yet, after a few years, he still had feelings for his <em> old life</em>.</p><p>Madara looked at the small blue flowers and touched them carefully.</p><p>If Hashirama and he were enemies, that made Tobirama also. Madara had avoided thinking about it until that moment, but the acceleration of his heart by just thinking about his lover told him that there were still feelings there.</p><p>
  <em> There was a weakness. </em>
</p><p>They were on opposite sides now and that included <em> Hashirama's shadow</em>.</p><p>Madara destroyed the flowers and threw them on the floor, leaving quickly before his action was noticed by the owner of the flowers.</p><p>It was not a bet between two people, it was two against one. And Madara would win, even if he had to spot one of the few pure places in his soul for more power.</p><p>He would do so.</p><p>
  <em> He no longer dreamed of his lover. </em>
</p><p>    </p><p>Later, in years, many years later, Madara woke up with Hashirama's laughter in his ears. He activated the sharingan and looked around at the cave he had been living in since leaving Konohagakure, but there was nothing to be seen, absolutely nothing.</p><p>Sometimes Madara would “hear”, while sleeping, any noise that would wake him up, he would look around and realize that the “sound” was the result of his imagination. The real world and the illusionary world were just two states divided by a thin line, where Madara was always swaying over.</p><p>However, when Zetsu crawled through the cave and approached him expectantly, he considered it an old memory from the past. An old memory where a shadow stared at him with the same yellow eyes, while leaning on <em> someone </em> ' <em> s </em> back.</p><p>(Perhaps it was just another one of his many dreams.)</p><p>His <em> expressed desire </em> seemed anxious, almost triumphant, waiting for Madara to question him about something specific, but it didn't take much, as soon as the Uchiha questioned him, Zetsu started to tell what he had discovered.</p><p>Hashirama had died.</p><p>According to Zetsu, Hashirama had succumbed in one of the battles of the war.</p><p>Such a detail seemed incorrect and almost outrageous to Madara. After all, there was only one person who could match Hashirama and that was him, and even he, <em> Madara</em>, was not able.</p><p>His greatest asset against Hashirama was to use the Nine-Tailed Fox combined with his Susanoo and yet, as if it were any other Madara fire-releasing technique, Hashirama simply invoked an attack that annihilated everything in no time.</p><p>That was the greatest proof of what Madara always doubted: Hashirama was always holding on when they fought in times of war.</p><p>But that was no longer important, the interesting thing is that his death was in one of the battles. Where was Tobirama?</p><p>
  <em> Tobirama… </em>
</p><p>Madara questioned Zetsu about his past lover and the black creature reported that Tobirama was not present in his brother's death for being on another front of the battle.</p><p>It was absurd to say the least. Perhaps a fool would believe that story, but Madara knew the Senju brothers. It was impossible for Hashirama to be hurt without the knowledge of it arriving in Tobirama in a matter of seconds, even with two countries between them.</p><p>Furthermore, Hashirama did not like to fight without Tobirama.</p><p>(He had to take the "<em>two</em>" sides of the battle and it never ended well.)</p><p>Hashirama had to keep his brother within reach at all times, especially in battle. Despite Hashirama's good and relaxed personality, when in battle, he either fought alone or with Tobirama. He only trusted his own brother to be on his side.</p><p>Something had happened.</p><p>"Did you witness the death?" Madara asked Zetsu.</p><p>"I didn't make it in time."</p><p>In other words, there was no proof to guarantee that Tobirama had not done anything in Hashirama's death. Madara asked again about Tobirama, while sitting on one of the supports of the place.</p><p>"He is the new Hokage." Zetsu informed him, approaching him again.</p><p>"Hokage?" Madara asked with almost surprise.</p><p>Hokage was one of the last positions Madara saw Tobirama taking over in Konoha. Not by social criteria, because he well knew that Tobirama was well regarded by most of the clans and had good contacts and recommendations, even in neutral clans, but simply, because Tobirama himself did not have so much preference for taking the office.</p><p>Unlike Hashirama who tried to please everyone, even if he <em> prejudiced </em> himself a little, Tobirama was more suspicious and didn't mind facing stronger or more dangerous people if they were bothering him. He didn't have the patience to please people with small talk like his older brother. At the very least, for him to assume the leadership of the village was a desperate measure for the war.</p><p>"<em>Sacrifice? </em>" Madara wondered silently.</p><p>Leaders who ruled in times of war, rarely lived for some postwar and Tobirama was not a diplomatic leader like Hashirama, but an army general.</p><p>Madara had a bad feeling.</p><p>He ordered Zetsu to watch Tobirama.</p><p>"Worried about what he can do with your clan?" Zetsu asked.</p><p>It could be.</p><p>Madara wondered how his ex lover would deal with the Uchihas now with the Hokage hat in his hands, but he would not believe the other man's evil intent.</p><p>The Uchiha did not answer the question and went back to his previous work, ignoring Zetsu who was murmuring something about not enjoying watching Tobirama.</p><p>"Afraid to see some corpses?" Madara questioned in a bad mood.</p><p>The black creature replied that it would never happen, but it was better to avoid Tobirama, because he had already felt it once in the past.</p><p>Madara remembered that. Was not so long ago, just four months, maybe.</p><p>Zetsu came to him with "concern", asking him the level of Tobirama's sensory abilities, but he believed it was all a matter of bad luck for his manifested will. Zetsu was trying to observe Hashirama out of pure interest, but Tobirama captured him in his sensory range and, according to the black creature, chased him for a long time, seeming to know exactly where he was always hiding.</p><p>Madara did not believe that it was possible, but coming from Tobirama, it was best not to underestimate.</p><p>"It is just a simple observation." Madara explained.</p><p>The Uchiha promised himself that it was only for a short time. Perhaps only for the first few months of Tobirama's rule.</p><p>Just for a little while.</p><p> </p><p>Later, during one of his research on Hashirama's DNA, Madara was distracted by Zetsu's low laugh echoing through the cave. The Uchiha was about to complain to the creature when Zetsu reported Tobirama's death to him.</p><p>Less than two years after Hashirama's death.</p><p>Less than two years in the Konoha government.</p><p>Madara moved away from the research table and sat down, next to the tree looking at Hashirama's clone. The Senju had been killed in battle, just like his brother.</p><p>Madara narrowed his eyes, suspicious. "Who killed him?"</p><p>Zetsu crawled through the cave and answered him. “The Gold and Silver brothers.”</p><p>"Who?"</p><p>The black creature explained to him that the Gold and Silver brothers were half-jinchuurikis of the Nine-Tailed Fox for having fed on it in some way, in addition to using the sacred weapons. Zetsu continued to explain more about the two brothers, however, all Madara heard was the word “Insufficient” being repeated over and over.</p><p>Dealing with jinchuuriki with continuous healing skills and huge chakra reserves might even be a problem for some shinobi, but Tobirama has trained his whole life with Hashirama and occasionally trained with his sister-in-law, Uzumaki Mito, who became Jinchuuriki of Nine tails after Madara's death. The least that could cause problems were sacred weapons. At the very least, and Madara was being benevolent in at least stating that.</p><p>"They were accompanied by one of their squads." Zetsu continued to speak. "A high-level squad."</p><p>Madara was overestimating the Senjus brothers' power levels or something was wrong. Something wrong with the causes of their deaths.</p><p>"Who took over as Hokage?" Madara decided to check.</p><p>"One of his students." Zetsu informed. "Sarutobi."</p><p>
  <em> There it was. </em>
</p><p>There was Tobirama's reason for taking over the village and not the boy. </p><p>Madara knew Sarutobi. Not only did Tobirama tutor the boy, but Hashirama himself too. From the beginning, the child was already on the move to take on something big.</p><p>"Was Tobirama accompanied?"</p><p>"It was." Zetsu promptly replied. “His own team and another. They were his escort and protection group. ”</p><p>Madara clenched his jaw as he crossed his arms.</p><p>They only had <em> one </em> goal.</p><p>They had failed to fulfill a <em> single </em> goal.</p><p>"And?"</p><p>Zetsu looked at him with what appeared to be confusion and then stood up when he understood his questioning. "They are all alive."</p><p><em> In addition to being incompetent, they were cowards</em>, Madara considered, getting up and walking back to the research table.</p><p>"From what I understood from one of their conversations." Zetsu spoke again. "The Hokage chose to stay behind, as a decoy for the enemies."</p><p>Madara pursed his lips and dismissed Zetsu. After not hearing anything, ensuring that the creature had indeed moved away, he looked over his shoulder at Hashirama's clone.</p><p>It was a sacrifice.</p><p>Madara felt angry, so angry that it felt like the week after his death at the hands of Hashirama, but now it was Tobirama who hurt him. He snorted, blinking his eyes. He felt the distant urge to cry, but that was all.</p><p>
  <em> His anger was greater. </em>
</p><p>    </p><p>Later, Madara died and then woke up in a raw form.</p><p>A body made of dust and with Rinnegan in his eyes.</p><p><em> The edo tensei </em>.</p><p>He almost laughed at his own situation. There would be no exaggeration in saying that he fought against the whole world to make his dream happen.</p><p>And everything was going well until he recognized <em> Hashirama </em> in the blonde woman who led Konoha under the cloak of Quinto Hokage, <em> his granddaughter</em>.</p><p>She was the perfect expression of the interests defended by the Senju brothers…</p><p>
  <em> And it was weak. </em>
</p><p>Perhaps Madara saw a chance to get revenge on Hashirama or Tobirama. He really couldn't say, but he still did.</p><p> </p><p>Later, Madara recognized Hashirama's chakra.</p><p>The same tones, the same sensations, the same compositions.</p><p>There were others with him without a doubt, but his reach was not that great and the only reason to feel Hashirama was because of the difference in scale of the others. As Hashirama's chakra approached, he picked up another chakra. The <em> dark notes </em> on the chakra indicated that it belonged to Tobirama.</p><p>Madara smiled.</p><p>Even in his best dreams, he would never have imagined that<em> his opponents </em>on the other side of the betting table would be present for his victory.</p><p>How lucky.</p><p>As the war progressed, the Senju brothers arrived, but accompanied by two other Hokages. Madara spoke to Hashirama and looked at Tobirama, but the younger Senju was further away,talking to one of the other Hokages. Hashirama stayed to deal with him, while Tobirama fought elsewhere against his successor alongside another Hokage and his son.</p><p> </p><p>Later, Madara managed to reincarnate completely. At first, he was without his eyes, but his training and sensory range was able to suppress his lack of vision until he got a good pair of eyes.</p><p>And in that way, he took down all the Nine Beasts and was just one step towards his complete ascent as a god, when he was attacked from behind.</p><p>Some masterful tactics never change.</p><p>After restraining Tobirama, he made some joke about even more than half a century not being able to change some people and soon after, how he had failed to defend himself and attack, even though he was the fastest man of his era.</p><p>Tobirama seemed indifferent to that, completely unshakable.</p><p>Madara knew that Senju had attacked him to make time for the boy who was once the Nine-Tailed jinchuuriki to escape and be healed, but it wasn't as if he mattered.</p><p>"It's been a long time, <em> snowflake</em>." Madara spoke, crouching down.</p><p>Despite the rage cultivated and kept for so many years, Madara let go a little of the feeling for the simple satisfaction that he was so close to his final achievement that at least <em> some slip </em>, he could commit.</p><p>"Madara." Tobirama spoke after a few moments. "Why are you doing this? Our era is over. ”</p><p>The Uchiha tilted his head, as if considering. He explained his intentions to Tobirama, as he had done with Hashirama. Unfortunately, the subject soon tired him, because he did not want to talk about his plans, but about his listener.</p><p>However, Tobirama seemed to be indifferent to his efforts and did not want to go into any personal matters. And all the escapes and changes in subjects to point out how the Uchiha was wrong to do that, made it seem as if they had never known each other more intimately and were just what everyone outside there was believing they are: the former rival and the younger brother of the First Hokage.</p><p> </p><p>Later, Madara ascended as a god and activated the Infinite Tsukuyomi.</p><p>And for very little, he was not brought down by a last-minute betrayal. He was forced to eliminate Zetsu.</p><p>In the end, all that was left was the small group of shinobi under the Susanoo of the boy Uchiha, whom Madara thought he had killed, but he had left the boy close to Tobirama and as always, <em> something </em> must have been done to go against his plans .</p><p>Honestly, Madara wondered why his feelings were going<em> in that direction</em>.</p><p>The other four Hokages tried to help the small team, but Madara managed to knock each one down and would have knocked down even one of the Hokages, but as soon as the last of them fell, the boy Uzumaki, who was caught by the tree and the Fourth Hokage tried unsuccessfully help, Tobirama teleported them away.</p><p> </p><p>Later, it was only the four reincarnated Hokages and Madara.</p><p>Madara did not want to attack them immediately, as their bodies were immortal and were linked to a summoner who was inside the Infinite Tsukuyomi. They had infinite energy now to stay and everything that Madara could do would become in vain.</p><p>He had to do the same thing that happened to you.</p><p>Bring them to life completely and then put them on Tsukuyomi.</p><p> </p><p>Later, Madara captured one of them and used it as his first experiment.</p><p>He thought it would be the Fourth Hokage, but it was the Third.</p><p>
  <em> Sarutobi. </em>
</p><p>Madara had a feeling of repetition, but was not Hashirama's granddaughter and he, it was Tobirama's student and he.</p><p>He brought the man back to the prime of his life, probably around the same time that he became the Hokage.</p><p>While pushing the man into the Tsukuyomi, Madara leaned under the Sarutobi. "Did you even try to change<em> his </em> mind?"</p><p>"There isn’t a single day that I don’t regret what happened to your clan." The man responded with tears on his face.</p><p>Madara raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips in disdain.</p><p>The Sarutobi man was placed completely inside the Tsukuyomi.</p><p>There were still three left.</p><p> </p><p>Later, Madara captured Hashirama.</p><p>The Hokages were spreading across the world, as far from his reach as possible, since the capture of the Third.</p><p>"Madara." Hashirama practically whined. "There is still a chance..."</p><p>The man continued to talk about how Madara had a good heart and that none of that was necessary. And all Madara thought was how <em> empty </em>that speech was.</p><p>
  <em> "If I'm such a good heart, why did you kill me?" </em>
</p><p>Hashirama cried.</p><p>Seeing Hashirama cry... Hurt him and it made him angry, angry with himself, for still caring about the man who did not hesitate to murder him.</p><p>With hands shaking with restrained fury, his fingers lightly brushed over Hashirama's wet cheeks, wiping away his tears.</p><p>"Try to change that <em> this time</em>."</p><p> </p><p>Later, Madara spent what he judged for years hunting the other two remaining Hokages. Apparently, unlike the other two, they were more rational and honored their nicknames as the fastest of their times.</p><p>When he finally managed to capture one, Tobirama managed to escape.</p><p>Madara was eager to set the world on fire once again.</p><p>Minato, as Madara learned the name, asked to be close to his son and shed tears in silence.</p><p> </p><p>Later, Madara remained quiet for a period of time.</p><p>He had captured the student, the older brother and a new favorite of his ex lover. If he was correct at least this time, Tobirama was <em> furious</em>.</p><p>Madara didn't like to deal with Tobirama irritated, so the best thing he could do was give him some time. Not so much, as Madara already had some plans for <em> later</em>.</p><p>    </p><p>Later, he managed to capture Tobirama.</p><p>"It's for the best, believe me." Madara stated, holding his lover now fully revived. "I will place you next to your brother."</p><p>However, just like before, during his last battle, Tobirama did not speak to him or look at him, this time, he had his eyes closed. Not resting, but just ignoring him.</p><p>(He should still be angry.)</p><p>"Why did you let Hashirama come alone?" Madara interjected, running his hands through the other man's light hair.</p><p>There was no answer and Madara had been looking for an explanation for that moment for a while. He could only think that anything that had between the Senju brothers must have been <em> big </em>, to make his lover refuse to accompany Hashirama or even assist him when he was defeated.</p><p>Madara leaned over hesitantly and kissed the hair in front of him.</p><p>"It's gonna be okay. None of that matters anymore.” He comforted.</p><p>The Uchiha saw Tobirama's jaw clench and his muscles tighten.</p><p>Madara wanted to say so many things.</p><p>Many questions. Many criticisms. Many compliments. Many comments. Many things that Tobirama told him in the past to not think about…</p><p>He chose the simplest ones. Because it was just the two of them in the world and he was a winner. He was entitled to at least something, even if his lover didn't want to.</p><p>Madara started with simple comments, how the Fourth Hokage and his lover had gotten along, how Tobirama had increased his arsenal of techniques since the last time they met…</p><p>There were no answers to any of his statements and when the vines of the sacred tree began to envelop Tobirama, Madara walked away in complete silence, watching his face.</p><p>No look, no farewell.</p><p>Madara took a deep breath watching the formation of the cocoon on his lover's body. There was a nuisance in his mind, such an old and painful feeling silently creeping in for his return.</p><p>
  <em> Empty. </em>
</p><p>He turned and walked away. Madara had already decided that now that the world was in complete peace. He would have it too. The Uchiha chose to join the Tsukuyomi like the rest of the world. There was no longer any reason to continue on that empty planet, while his chance for peace and happiness was right in front of him.</p><p>He fell asleep in deep sleep with hopes of a new world, as he had not done in a long time.</p><p> </p><p>Later, Tobirama woke up.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>One thing about the part with Sarutobi: Madara asked about Tobirama, but Hiruzen understood that was about Danzō.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. A sordid detail</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>He would make it work. After so many years of waiting, treacherous plans and battles against all possible shinobi, he could do anything.<br/>But this time, he would do it himself.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, everyone.<br/>So... About this chapter... I was writing it, when I realized that I had barely approached the end and had already reached 6K words, so I chose to divide it into two chapters.<br/>This chapter may seem more like an "introduction", but each scene is important.<br/>I hope you like it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Stop." Tobirama complained, pushing with his feet, the man's legs behind him. "Your feet are cold."</p><p>There was silence in response and Senju was already falling asleep again, but a movement in the bed behind him caught his attention again and left him in a semi-conscious state.</p><p>"Wake up." His lover ordered.</p><p>Tobirama took a deep breath, refusing to open his eyes.</p><p>"For what?" He questioned in a bad mood. "Where were you?"</p><p>There was another moment of silence before a movement, the Senju man felt a warm breath next to his left cheek and then, <em> pressure </em>. The other man's cold feet came back to Tobirama's feet under the cover.</p><p>"Around." Madara replied in a voice that seemed almost amused, then pushed his lover slightly. "Get up."</p><p>"I don't wanna." The light-haired man replied, frowning and keeping his eyes closed.</p><p>Another moment of silence, while Madara settled behind the other man. The cold feet of Uchiha, this time were on Tobirama's feet, as one of his arms wrapped around the area close to the abdomen, resting on his arm. Madara gave the younger man, light pats on the arm, as if it were a caress.</p><p>"Come on." The Uchiha ordered again. "I have to do <em> one thing</em>."</p><p>"So, go do this <em> one thing</em>."</p><p>Madara rolled his eyes and moved closer to Tobirama, pulling the other body close to hers. "<em>We </em> have to do <em> one thing</em>."</p><p>Tobirama sighed. "Because?"</p><p>The Uchiha closed his eyes and slowly moved his fingers over the skin of the other man's arm, making imaginary drawings.</p><p>"Because I want to leave the village and spend time away from it."</p><p>There were long moments of waiting between responses, which indicated to Madara  that Tobirama was almost falling asleep.</p><p>The Senju hummed and then answered. "I cannot leave the village."</p><p>Madara would have rolled his eyes again, but he preferred to keep them closed and continue exactly as he was, because... It was comfortable.</p><p>"Leave a clone with Hashirama." The brunette spoke.</p><p>"The children."</p><p>Madara stopped his movements with his fingers and hummed when he understood the answer. He had forgotten that it was Saturday, even though “<em>Saturday”</em> was precisely the reason why he would like to go out and spend time away from the village. The Uchiha judged his thinking as "Slow" by the sleepless night.</p><p>"Right." Madara replied, controlling the urge to yawn. "Leave a clone with the children."</p><p>"No." Tobirama replied without hesitation.</p><p>Madara, on the other hand, grimaced. "It's just some time in the forest."</p><p>"I send a clone."</p><p>The Uchiha snuggled closer, holding his lover closer to him and breathing in the smell of the light hair next to his face.</p><p>"A clone is not funny." Madara said. "You send clones to your brother and your children, not to me."</p><p>Tobirama did not answer for a long moment and vaguely, almost in semi consciousness, Madara considered that his lover had finally fallen asleep.</p><p>Then, the Senju pushed his arm with considerable truculence, awakening Madara from his serenity. However, instead of getting up, moving away and leaving the room, as the brunette considered, Tobirama just turned around, facing him, adjusting himself on the bed to bring his face close to the older man's neck and relaxing again against the mattress.</p><p>Tobirama took a deep breath. "What do you have against clones?"</p><p>Madara did not answer. He returned to wrap Senju with one of his arms and this time, from the position his lover chose, the Uchiha laid his chin on the other man's head.</p><p>"It looks like prejudice." Tobirama spoke again in a lower voice, almost whispering.</p><p>Madara closed his eyes again.</p><p>"That." He replied. "I am prejudiced against clones."</p><p>"Not cool." The light-haired man commented, shaking his head in an almost imperceptible way over Madara's chin. "Clones deserve respect."</p><p>Madara made a sound of disdain.</p><p>He knew what his lover was doing: seducing him to sleep. And the worst was that it was working.</p><p>His sleepless night did not come even after reading a huge book and counting as far as he could in his mind, but it was just him deciding that he needed to do something and Tobirama thwarted him - <em> As always </em> - that his sleep magically came...</p><p>"Clone’s rights." Tobirama murmured against his neck.</p><p>Madara frowned and then snorted with amusement.</p><p>"Oh, please." The Uchiha said, still with his eyes closed. "In a society of clones, yours would be from the privileged class."</p><p>"It's not my fault for being brilliant." The Senju refuted.</p><p>Madara smiled and with the arm that was under Tobirama's head, used his hand to play with one of the rebellious strands of the other man's hair.</p><p>"Really? So answer me, <em> Mr. Brilliant</em>. ” Madara spoke with amusement, feeling the urge to yawn again. "If you use this technique while you have money in your pocket..."</p><p>He fell silent, expecting something from Tobirama, something to indicate that the younger man was still listening to him. The Senju just hummed.</p><p>With the answer that he was being heard, Madara continued. "Does the money also multiply?"</p><p>There was a moment of silence and Madara didn't know if it was because of the light-haired man's own delay for answer, if he had fallen asleep or if he was just considering an answer. And during that time of silence, Madara found himself almost falling asleep.</p><p>"Yes." Tobirama spoke after a while, waking Madara again. "But as soon as the clone is dismissed, the money will also disappear."</p><p>Madara didn't even remember much of his question and when he managed to remember, his mind wandered into an imaginary world where they could make a lot of money.</p><p>"You didn't think about that, did you?" Madara inquired after, stroking his lover's hair again.</p><p>"So what?" Tobirama spoke and Madara could almost imagine that his lover would be wrinkling his nose. "It would be cloned money anyway."</p><p>"We would be rich." Madara spoke simply, considering what he could buy and there were so many possibilities.</p><p>He fell asleep while making a mental list of his purchases.</p><p> </p><p>Madara stepped away from the vines and levitated, he went to the ground and looked around.</p><p>He had left Tsukuyomi.</p><p>Why? It wasn't supposed to happen…</p><p>The tree looked restless, he considered. Madara approached and touched one of the branches, using the Mokuton that he still had in his body to try to connect to the tree and that way, he found the reason for the discomfort.</p><p>Apparently it wasn't just him who left Tsukuyomi…</p><p>Madara narrowed his eyes and again levitated again, heading for the designated area.</p><p>He wondered if what happened at the end of his dream was a way for the tree to alert him about Tobirama leaving Tsukuyomi.</p><p>Was it that or... Madara didn't want to consider another possibility.</p><p>As soon as he saw the Senju wrapped in loose vines in a cocoon that seemed to break apart every second and getting more and more close to release him, he didn't want to know anything else</p><p>
  <em> Just to choke Tobirama. </em>
</p><p>Honestly... In the moment, If Madara could go back in time and speak to a younger version of himself, a Madara who was just waking up on Tobirama's bed, he would have said: “<em>Don't stay. Go away before he wakes up.</em>”, that way so many problems and headaches from Madara would have been avoided.</p><p>He should have left the village earlier, just as Zetsu once informed him, but his relationship with Tobirama... <em> delayed him</em>. He thought he might have one more chance and this time, maybe it would work, but like many things in his life... No. It didn't work.</p><p>Madara approached his ex lover and held him.</p><p>How had Tobirama left Tsukuyomi? The Rinnegan was still active and present in his eyes, which indicated that at least his conscious mind was in control.</p><p>Madara wanted to believe that his departure had to do with the departure of Tsukuyomi's Second Hokage. However, what could make Tobirama leave his dream world?</p><p>The Infinite Tsukuyomi was perfect. The most profound aspects of the captured person's psyche were analyzed and a complete world was shaped in order to meet the individual's desires, even unconscious ones. </p><p>Even Tobirama had his dreams, Madara knew that.</p><p>They talked about it so much in the last few weeks before they left the village, and even Madara, without Tobirama's knowledge, was able to build a perfect world and make it pass by himself… The problem was the risks of improbability.</p><p>One thing was Hashirama and Madara, where the Uchiha knew very well what their dreams would be and despite knowing Tobirama well, there was always something more... Deep down, Madara wouldn't know if he really knew the Senju brothers. Izuna discredited them until his last hair and his younger brother's instincts never failed while in life.</p><p>Tobirama was even more unpredictable than his brother. He had a more critical and direct speech, and a more rational and composed personality, equipped with coldness, but he easily changed his mood with his rage attacks, radical ideals and his strange honor, full of "principles".</p><p>Tobirama could be difficult to read, as many Uchihas claimed.</p><p>“<em>He may be working for the village or for the extinction of the clan</em>” Zetsu said when told about the Second Hokage's idea of creating the police in Konoha.</p><p>It’s really complicated to know.</p><p>Madara smoothed Tobirama's hair, pulling it away from his eyes. He ordered the vines to return to involving his ex lover, but the slow way they did, indicated that something<em> was wrong</em>. It was as if the tree itself was not sure <em> what </em> was involved.</p><p>However, Madara did it anyway.</p><p>In the end, after a few weeks, where he just observed to ensure that this time the other man did not escape, he got the same result.</p><p>The vines loosened and the cocoon began to come apart.</p><p>Tobirama had left Tsukuyomi again.</p><p>It took four more times for Madara to consider a new approach.</p><p>Madara took a deep breath, barely controlling the urge to shake the Senju in his arms. He really wouldn't care if he were someone else, but just his lover from the past…</p><p>He felt unlucky, even after defeating the whole world. Besides, it was like Tobirama was doing it on purpose, just because he was on the losing side.</p><p><em> Typical</em>.</p><p>Madara wanted to rest. He wanted to celebrate his victory, but he couldn't. Not until he made sure Tobirama was inside Tsukuyomi.</p><p>His eyes focused on the Senju and with almost hesitation, Madara touched his face, his thumb caressing the red tattoo on his left cheek.</p><p>He could have simply undone the Edo Tensei and released the souls of the reincarnated Hokages, but there was no reason why he would not give them a small piece of his creation, especially the Senju brothers.</p><p>They, <em> the three of them </em>, most of all deserved that after having their lives transformed by wars, their childhoods shaped by pain and loss only by pride and greed on both sides.</p><p>Madara approached the other man, brushing aside his bangs and touching his foreheads.</p><p>He would make it work. After so many years of waiting, tricky plans and battles against all possible shinobi, he could do anything.</p><p>But this time, he would do it himself.</p><p> </p><p>Tobirama's dream world was not so different from his.</p><p>The clans had their problems, but at least their brothers had not died and peace had been sealed with the creation of Konoha. Otherwise, Konoha was in the spring, in a spring with lots and lots of flowers blooming, more than usual, which should be the idea of his lover about spring in a country with that climate. Madara had not been surprised by the detail, because Tobirama <em> was never </em> in the Land of Fire when it was spring, not even when he had become the Hokage, so his dream of having something to do with it was not very impressive.</p><p>What surprised Madara was the presence of his brothers. He always imagined that Tobirama's feelings of rivalry were stronger and that he disregarded Izuna, even in his dreams.</p><p>(Izuna would do that.)</p><p>It was good to know that Senju did not repeat this pattern of behavior.</p><p>His other brothers were also there and Madara smiled when he saw one of the Tsukuyomi boundaries. They didn't have <em> their faces </em>, they were others in their places, some that Madara never saw. Which revealed Tobirama's lack of knowledge about his brothers and how the Tsukuyomi Infinito could not manufacture them.</p><p>
  <em> The human mind cannot create faces. </em>
</p><p>And although Madara wanted to be with his <em> real brothers </em> , he could not provide his physical information for his brothers' forms, since it was necessary to avoid any activity that would reveal a <em> difference </em>. </p><p>He was in a hostile and unstable environment, Tobirama's mind, if he gave outside information, he would be quickly noticed and everything would be in vain.</p><p>So, he had to behave within the script.</p><p>Madara looked at Izuna, seeing his brother talking to a woman, <em> his wife</em>. Izuna had children. In fact, all his brothers did and it made Madara smile, even if only for a short time. Among so many, so many conversations that Tobirama and he had, knowing that Madara's tastes and dreams had been heard and kept, even after so many years, even after death, made him happy.</p><p>Fulfilling his character's script, he spent much of the day with Hashirama. </p><p>(S<em> omething told him it would be like this every day. Every day</em>.) </p><p>What Madara also expected, because when his departure from Konoha was approaching, the further he was from Hashirama. Tobirama had commented on this, on how Hashirama was under the impression that Madara was angry with him…</p><p>Madara had to wait for a breach to be made until he could approach Tobirama, because there was a reason for him to be there: to find out why his lover had escaped from Tsukuyomi. He couldn't always keep his eyes on Tobirama, as he had to follow his character's role.</p><p>He found Tobirama next to the Senjus' main house, in one of the gardens, helping his brother to memorize his Hokage speech. Another interesting thing, despite Tobirama's admiration for Hashirama, apparently he thought Hokage's position was better for his other younger brother, <em> Kawarama</em>.</p><p>Madara wondered why. He didn't know much about the characters of Tobirama's younger brothers, he just knew that the youngest of them was his favorite.</p><p>"Kawarama." Tobirama spoke. "You don't have to memorize every word to be able to speak the speech."</p><p>"I can do this." Kawarama almost stamped his feet when he answered.</p><p>"It's a long speech and you're going to be nervous." The platinum-haired man replied, crossing his arms. “If you don't remember the word, <em> move on </em>. You'll be even more nervous trying to remember it and then, even more when you realize you've wasted time. ”</p><p>Madara came closer and waved at them, when they noticed his presence. He sat on one of the benches under the trees and waited patiently for them to finish. After a long twenty minutes with Kawarama repeating every word of the speech he had memorized for his brother, the man exhaled through his mouth as if in deep relief.</p><p>"It went well." Tobirama said.</p><p>Kawarama was swinging his arms up and down, as if he were doing jumping jacks, and then on hearing the answer, he stopped.</p><p>"<em>Well?"</em> Kawarama asked nervously. "Shouldn't it be ‘<em>great</em>’?"</p><p>"You're fine." Tobirama emphasized and walked away. "Now, go home and relax."</p><p>Tobirama gestured for Madara to accompany him, as he headed out of the garden.</p><p>"What do you want?" Senju asked as they left the house.</p><p><em> Sweet and lovely </em>, the best qualities of his lover.</p><p>"Lunch." Madara replied calmly.</p><p>Tobirama frowned, narrowing his eyes and taking a deep breath, as if seeking the patience he never had.</p><p>"Right." It was the only answer that Senju gave in an almost growling.</p><p>Madara shook his head.</p><p>Even in his dreams, Tobirama was in a bad mood. How was that possible?</p><p>They had lunch at one of the restaurants, where Madara was sure it must never have existed in Konoha, not with the food they sold. Later, they walked through the village to the Hokage Residence, where Tobirama said he had some reports to give him.</p><p>Madara smiled in confirmation, but soon he turned his face away. He really hoped it was some code or a joke, but when Tobirama handed him a pile of reports, his hope was crushed.</p><p>Tobirama continued to go through the shelves, while Madara considered that throwing that pile of reports out the window would be a <em> paper break</em>. He chose to be more discreet in his small rebellion and just put the reports on the table. He went to Senju, placing himself beside him and leaning his back against the shelf.</p><p>"What is it?" Tobirama asked when he saw his look.</p><p>"You tell me." Madara replied, shrugging. "You are angry."</p><p>The younger man raised an eyebrow and walked away, heading for the table. "You never saw me angry."</p><p>That was true.</p><p>What Madara had already seen were small <em> cracks </em> and <em> drips </em> from the "armor" that Tobirama had on his mind and depending on the degree of that <em> crack</em>, Konoha <em> shaked</em>.</p><p>"But..." The Uchiha continued, getting closer to the other man, he put his hands together. "I know something is bothering you."</p><p>Tobirama turned away again. "Can't you imagine what it is?"</p><p>Madara looked around. He really hoped that it wasn't something like the "<em>We're at work</em>" thing, because after receiving a pile of reports, he deserved at least <em> a treat</em>. He returned to approach and overtake Senju's personal space.</p><p>"I like to receive leads."</p><p>Tobirama narrowed his eyes.</p><p>"Like what?" He manifested. "Being pushed out of a second-floor window?"</p><p>Madara almost smiled.</p><p>Almost.</p><p>“Wait. What? ”</p><p>"<em>Dear.</em>"</p><p>The Uchiha turned around, meeting a woman at the door. Their robes were the traditional ones of the Uchiha clan. Madara's eyes widened a little, as his mind seethed with possibilities.</p><p><em> No, no, no, no, no</em>.</p><p>Tobirama walked away and sat down, opening a scroll and beginning to write, regardless of the scene that surrounded him.</p><p>"What are you doing?" The woman questioned, approaching Madara and touching his arm. "Did you forget that you promised to have lunch with me and the kids?"</p><p>Madara opened his lips, but of many, many things in his head, there was little he managed to say. "Pardon?"</p><p>"It's all right." The Uchiha woman said, lifting his shoulders with a wide smile.</p><p>He had a face that Madara had never seen in his life, so why was she <em> designated </em> to him... Madara didn't know why.</p><p>"What is it? You are looking at me differently. ” The woman commented.</p><p>Again, out of so much loose information, Madara clung to only one. "Children?"</p><p>"What?" The woman asked, almost offended and putting her hands on her hips. "In addition to forgetting lunch, did you forget that you have children?"</p><p>There was a moment of silence, where the woman's huff of amusement was the only sound. "In a little while you will say that you forgot me too."</p><p>Madara found himself almost answering that yes, it was that what had happened, because of the many things he expected in that dream world and at that moment, a woman would be his last guess.</p><p>The woman tilted her head towards herself and then turned away. "Tobirama-"</p><p>The Senju man put his hand on the stack of reports and spoke. "He's excused."</p><p>"Thanks." The woman smiled, picking up the report stack and taking a few steps forward. Not realizing that she was accompanied, she smiled again and tilted her head, motioning for Madara to follow. "Come on."</p><p>"Close the door when you leave." Tobirama said, without looking up from his work for an instant.</p><p>
  <em> Not one look. No farewell. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Madara was practically <em> guided </em> home by <em> his wife </em> and when he thought his situation was already bad, the circumstances came to prove to him that everything could still get worse…</p><p>Three children came to him and although one side of him was happy to finally have his own children, Madara was mostly horrified. He scanned the children quickly, concluding what he already feared.</p><p>
  <em> Two boys and a girl. </em>
</p><p>Just as he always wanted.</p><p>Just as he had told Tobirama.</p><p> </p><p><em> "Three." Madara said, feeling the affection on his scalp. "Two boys and a girl. </em>"</p><p> </p><p>The girl smiled at Madara and said she had a gift for him.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "The girl is the middle kid." Madara continued, closing his eyes. "It would have an artistic streak... Just like me." </em>
</p><p> </p><p>It was a drawing.</p><p>Madara swallowed when he received the paper from his daughter and forced a smile at the girl. He looked at his two other children, <em> at his eyes</em>, and then at <em> his wife:</em> The woman had the same eyes as Tobirama.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "If something like this were possible..." Madara said, sitting on the bed and touching the Senju's face. "I wish they had their eyes." </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The same shape, the same color, the same details... Each child had... The woman had.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "They are beautiful." Madara justified, shrugging. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Tobirama frowned. “What about the sharingan?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "They can still have it." The Uchiha replied with a raised eyebrow. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Wouldn't need to have black eyes for that?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "They would be your children too." Madara smiled. "Contrary the rule would be in their blood." </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Tobirama had made Madara the perfect life... <em> without him</em>.</p><p>Why?</p><p>Why create a perfect life for the man you <em> loved </em>?</p><p>Why give him everything he once said he would like in a perfect world?</p><p>In a world where anything was possible…</p><p>You wouldn't do that unless the other person was no longer... <em> Necessary</em>.</p><p>And if the person was not necessary... It was because there were no more... <em> Feelings</em>.</p><p>Madara did not want to believe that possibility.</p><p>It was impossible, but it all made so much sense...</p><p>But it was impossible.</p><p>Tobirama was treating him with indifference not because of some <em> tantrum </em> for being on opposite sides, but simply because he had overcome and left Madara behind for what he was: "<em>A traitor of the Will of Fire</em>".</p><p>
  <em> "That Uchiha who was his older brother's best friend and in the end, was killed by him for the good of the village." </em>
</p><p><em> No, no, no, no, no</em>.</p><p>Madara refused to believe that possibility.</p><p>It was impossible, he forced himself to repeat himself in his mind, but his effort proved in vain, because in his head only one thing was repeated over and over again…</p><p>A sordid detail.</p><p>
  <em> "I'm leaving you." </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> "I'm leaving you." Madara spoke with determination. "I'm leaving the village." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Tobirama frowned as if he hadn't heard correctly. "Pardon?" </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Some notes: The first part of this chapter is a memory that "slipped" from Madara's mind.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Inside the box</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Madara's feelings for Tobirama were... complicated.<br/>Madara's feelings for Tobirama were... kept.<br/>Madara's feelings for Tobirama were... painful.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, everyone.<br/>I would like to thanks for the comments I received. They really motivate me so much. Thank you very much, again.<br/>I tried to stop myself from getting in too many words, but it ended up getting there anyway. I think the other chapters will be the same size or bigger than this one.<br/>Hope you like it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Madara's feelings for Tobirama were... <em> complicated</em>.</p><p>The Uchiha was aware of that.</p><p>Even after months after he left, he still wondered how Senju was going on... because he had died. He had been killed at the hands of his lover's brother.</p><p>Madara wondered how Tobirama had reacted to his death…</p><p>How was going his relationship with Hashirama…</p><p>If the Senju had been sad for him…</p><p>If Tobirama prayed for him as he did for the loved ones who have passed through his life…</p><p>If Tobirama missed you as much as he did…</p><p>And the idea that he somehow caused some suffering with his false death to his ex lover, hurt him, even though he admitted it just before he fell asleep in the deep darkness of his mind. However, whatever suffering his death caused on Tobirama, Madara blamed Hashirama, instead.</p><p>After all, his original plan was to leave the village, but still keep an eye on Tobirama occasionally, even visit him on some special occasions, sending him gifts... Although, none of this was possible anymore, because with his death, he realized that his plan would run in a better way.</p><p>Otherwise, Madara <em> hated </em> Tobirama.</p><p>Not exactly his lover, but what he <em> represented</em>.</p><p>The manifestation of Hashirama's foolish and blind hope.</p><p>Tobirama could support Madara on many factors and even share several ideological similarities, however, the same pattern of similarities could be linked to his brother Hashirama.</p><p>(As if Tobirama was a balance between the two.)</p><p>And in those years in pure isolation, Madara hated Hashirama.</p><p>He chose to hate the <em> Second Hokage </em> as if he were a different individual from the man he lived with before his betrayal of Hidden Leaf Village.</p><p> </p><p>Madara's feelings for Tobirama were… <em> kept</em>.</p><p>They kept it in a wooden box. Small, badly carved, discolored and decorated with scratches and stains of old blood.</p><p>When Madara forged his determination against anything that represented the ideals he rejected, he buried the small box.</p><p>He buried it under the earth, as if it were some corpse.</p><p>He buried it under ancient bones, as if it were another of his many victims.</p><p>He buried it under his blood, under his determination, under his dream, under his ideal... <em> Under Madara</em>.</p><p>When Tobirama died... He thought about digging the box up, but his suffering would be prolonged by memories that he had already chosen to leave behind.</p><p>Tobirama died defending Hashirama's ideal.</p><p>His death was a consequence of Hashirama's blindness and ingenuity.</p><p>Madara was so <em> angry</em>.</p><p>That village... That village had been created to protect their younger brothers, but that was not what happened.</p><p>Izuna never contemplated his creation and Tobirama... The village that should have been his defense was the cause of his death.</p><p>He had died defending something that should have protected him in the first place.</p><p>He had died because of people who should have protected him.</p><p><em> Hashirama, you have failed</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Madara's feelings for Tobirama were… <em> painful</em>.</p><p>Even after a second death, even after a resurrection, even after an ascension... His feelings were still painful. And despite his attempts to understand them, Madara couldn't.</p><p>But he knew what he was feeling at that moment inside that <em> dream world </em> and it was that horrible feeling of emptiness again, that burning sensation which gave him the impression that he could go into self-combustion with such intense emotion.</p><p>Madara took a deep breath, controlling the movements of inspiration and exhalation in an orderly manner.</p><p>He hadn't been able to sleep... Not next to <em> a stranger</em>. It didn't matter if it was a harmless illusion of a woman who loved him deeply. Then, Madara went to the open area of the house, next to the backyard and sat there, ready to reflect on the latest events. Before he considered anything, he needed to calm down and reorder his thoughts.</p><p>
  <em> He needed security. </em>
</p><p>In this way, he searched <em> a memory </em> in his mind<em>. </em> A place of comfort. In front of his eyes, there was only the darkness of the night in his home, so his <em> connection </em> was made easier.</p><p>Madara needed to return to <em> the cave</em>.</p><p>Return to the roots of <em> his determination</em>.</p><p>In the cave, he was immersed in deep darkness. Only he, apart of the rest of the world. And in the cave, <em> Madara was an entity. </em></p><p>
  <em> An existence that rose against the world. </em>
</p><p>Madara spent more than half a century, waiting for his big chance and reached his goal with glory. For that, he had to sever his ties with the Senju brothers...</p><p>To achieve his complete devotion to his goal, he had to leave his <em> old life </em> behind. And this time, he should do the same.</p><p>Repeat the same steps.</p><p>Abandon his old life in order to fulfill his mission.</p><p>Madara took a deep breath.</p><p>
  <em> In the cave, in the darkness, he was Madara. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Close the box and bury it back. </em>
</p><p>As much as that realization that he no longer <em> needed to tear </em> him apart, Madara needed to focus on his goal. He needed to bury <em> that box </em> again.</p><p>Once, he dreamed of Tobirama.</p><p>The only time he dreamed about the Senju after his decision to make the other man his enemy.</p><p>In that dream, Madara killed him.</p><p>He made his lover part of the scene of his dreams, part of his machinations, part of the blood he shed for his victory.</p><p>Madara would do it again.</p><p>
  <em> It was necessary. </em>
</p><p> Besides, he didn't have to worry about what Tobirama thought about him anymore, did he?</p><p>As soon as he completed that, he could return to his own dream world, where<em> Tobirama </em> would be waiting for him to return his feelings in a properly correct manner without ever discarding him in any way...</p><p>Therefore, he would complete his mission.</p><p>According to Madara's calculations, it wouldn't be very long for him to be released. Normally for the Second Hokage to be released from Tsukuyomi it took almost two weeks and the time inside the world created by the Senju was different from the outside world.</p><p>(Even from the world that Madara dreamed of, actually.)</p><p>It wouldn't be too long for the <em> deadline</em>. He had time.</p><p>For now, he needed to rethink his maneuvers, because at that very moment, he was like a piece with no movements in the game.</p><p>The Second Hokage and he were not close in these worlds.</p><p>So, he couldn't keep him under close surveillance… Others would have to do that. He would have to change the balance of the place, manipulating other pieces in his game...</p><p>The next day, he put his plan into practice, putting people close to Tobirama under his control. Madara already knew some of them by their time of living alongside the Senju brothers, but there were new people. <em> Many new people</em>.</p><p>(The Senju brothers and their so active social lives always made Madara narrow his eyes and wrinkle his nose.)</p><p>One of these <em> new people </em> was Tobirama's secretary.</p><p>A very beautiful, educated young woman, versed in diplomacy with good management skills, as well as an excellent kunoichi.</p><p>And it would be no big deal, if Madara didn't know that Tobirama didn't like to keep assistants under his control. He didn’t even had an advisor during his reign in Konoha. Now as one of Hokage's advisers, it was even more unlikely.</p><p>Madara was not a fool, he could see what was happening there.</p><p>Analyzing the proximity between <em> them </em> and the high position of the woman, purely based on trust, the Uchiha concluded that the young woman should be Tobirama's lover in this world. The brunette didn't even know her name and chose to believe his own theory that she must be some love from Senju's past, which for some reason, <em> before </em>, did not work.</p><p>Still, no matter what adverse feelings Madara had towards the woman, he chose to continue with his manipulative acts of control and if the kunoichi was in fact Tobirama's lover... It was even better.</p><p>Who would be better to keep an eye on him?</p><p>Madara believed that<em> the mistake, the failure, the escape </em> took place at a time when Tobirama was alone or at least more isolated, <em> comfortable </em> ... And as far as he remembered, the only moments where this happened was when <em> they </em> were together or when the Hashirama’s children were with him.</p><p>It was Tobirama's lover or his nephews, and Madara didn't want to involve any children in it. They could only be illusions, but they were still children and even though Madara had his problems with Hashirama, in the past, he was fond of the children of the First Hokage.</p><p>His only exception with children were the students of Tobirama, but only because it was <em> other feelings </em> that gave their actions to them…</p><p>In the end, he chose to put the woman under his control and decided to approach in a basic, almost smooth manner.</p><p>He had no interest in creating a friendly relationship as it was with the man who had half his face burned…</p><p>Or the woman with four arms…</p><p>Or the big guy with tattoos all over his body…</p><p>Or the two sisters with strange eyes…</p><p>He just wanted to put her under his control and that was all.</p><p>Having an idea of the woman's routine, he waited for her, next to the office that Tobirama had been assigned by his brother. The woman appeared in the hall carrying a black folder against her chest, walking with fast steps that almost gave the impression that at any moment she would start running.</p><p>"Hello." Madara prostrated himself in front of her.</p><p>The woman stopped her movements abruptly and smiled.</p><p>"Oh, Madara-san." She said in a melodic voice. "Good morning."</p><p>"Good morning." The Uchiha repeated.</p><p>And for long seconds, they remained facing each other. Until the woman herself spoke up again.</p><p>"Do you want to speak with Tobirama-sama?" The kunoichi questioned and then started to open the black folder.</p><p>Madara just hummed a confirmatory sound, taking advantage that the woman was leafing through the object, he activated the sharingan and returned to speak. "I don't know your name."</p><p>When the woman looked up, Madara would put her under his control.</p><p>"<em> Syumari Senju. </em>" The woman replied, lifting her head.</p><p>Madara stopped when he heard the answer.</p><p>He felt a sense of <em> remembrance</em>.</p><p>Something was trying to be associated with the name, some memory, some detail, like a puzzle. His sharingan deactivated as he frowned, considering. He repeated the name over and over in his mind until his mental alertness earned the honor and merit that Madara so cherished.</p><p>"Syumari Senju?" The Uchiha asked low, but not for the woman, it was for himself.</p><p>"Yeah." The woman confirmed, shaking her head, as she smiled and passed the sheets into the folder.</p><p>Madara raised an eyebrow in contemplation and then <em> a memory </em> came to mind. A memory with <em> lavender incense and a six-pointed shuriken</em>.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Syumari Senju. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Nine years old. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Liked to eat wagashis before training. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Quick to think. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Affinity with Earth Release. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Excellent weapon skills. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Lavender incense and a six-pointed shuriken. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Madara stepped back.</p><p>His senses were “resounding” in a maddening way, making his head ache as he felt his stomach churn as his mind contemplated that detail.</p><p>
  <em> No. </em>
</p><p>She couldn't be the lover Tobirama got.</p><p>
  <em> Never. </em>
</p><p>That woman was <em> a reconstruction, a continuation... </em></p><p>She was one of the many children that Tobirama trained under the command of the Senjus before Hashirama's rise to leadership of his clan. Before children stopped being sent to the battlefield.</p><p>His first student... And one of the victims of the war.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Izuna killed her. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> His father congratulated him on the battlefield victory and that night, Izuna could eat three daifuku after dinner, as a gift from the head of a Senju child. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Madara lowered his head, feeling the sharingan <em> shine </em> back in his eyes.</p><p>"Want to know?" The brunette spoke. "Forget it."</p><p>One of his hands went to his face, covering it, as he turned and walked away with quick steps.</p><p>"I can take care of it." The woman nervously said, seeing him go.</p><p>Madara ignored her and headed for one of the corridor exits, still being able to hear the woman's words.</p><p>"I don't know what you heard out there..." Syumari spoke up, almost screaming. "But I am a responsible person!"</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "Today would be her birthday." Tobirama said, lighting the lavender incense. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "How old was she?" Madara positioned himself behind the Senju, watching in distance with his arms crossed. His eyes were always moving around, as if watching something, as if he needed to be sure that he wouldn't be caught on off guard at any moment. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Nine." His lover spoke and placed a six-pointed shuriken next to the incense. Then he left the room, leaving Madara alone. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The Uchiha approached the small altar, watching the door to ensure that his lover did not come back and catch him... He looked at six-pointed shuriken and shook his head slightly in denial. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Once, Madara had been caught by surprise per a weapon, a six-pointed shuriken hurt his arm in just a light cut. In front of him was a girl who must have been younger than his last brother. Then, he gestured for Izuna to <em> cover him up </em>, while he went to Hashirama who was already defeating a small group of teenagers. Izuna took her off guard and beheaded her, and was soon wounded in the leg by other weapons from other Senjus…</p><p>
  <em> It was all so fast. </em>
</p><p>It was for survival, Madara well knew, but still... That does not diminish what he believed to be guilt.</p><p>Madara decorated many faces, just because of his sharingan combined with his good memory and he remembered even more the faces of those who somehow hurt him.</p><p>He remembered the girl in a blurry way, which was a frightened face…</p><p>(She seemed more frightened by the fact that she had actually managed to hurt him.)</p><p>Still, that night, even though he wasn't sleeping next to Tobirama, as he used to do… Madara dreamed about her…</p><p>Tobirama had trained so many children, so many people who never reached adulthood like his brother and him. It was only when Hashirama became a leader that children finally stopped being sent to war and that was only five years before the founding of Konoha.</p><p>How many children under Tobirama's tutelage did not have the same fate as Syumari…</p><p>
  <em> How many of them did Izuna or he kill? </em>
</p><p>Madara realized that even if there was a world where Izuna did not die and by some miracle Konoha was founded, he could never have Tobirama by his side, because he knew them both.</p><p>Izuna had feelings of rivalry totally different than Hashirama and Madara held among themselves. In addition to the rivalry, there was a deep hatred against the Senjus, even more against Tobirama, than in one way or another, which always circumvented his brother's "superior abilities".</p><p>And Tobirama…</p><p>Tobirama had <em> got rid of </em> Madara for going against the village…</p><p>What would he not do against the man who killed one of his precious children?</p><p>He had never considered the idea that his hands were soiled with the blood of his lover's dearest ones until that day. Tobirama should also have no idea…</p><p>(<em>Or he had it?) </em></p><p>Madara didn't want to think about that. It wasn't his fault, it was for survival. He would never do that in other circumstances.</p><p>He couldn't be guilty of that.</p><p><em> It was that world that was to blame. It was that world that was wrong</em>.</p><p>They deserved the best.</p><p><em> They </em> were the victims. All of them.</p><p>And yet, they were against each other, on opposite sides, just like their parents. In exactly the same way that Madara so loathed.</p><p>
  <em> That world had to disappear. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>After that, Madara had to breathe.</p><p>He went to a secluded spot in that<em> fake Konoha, </em> surrounded by trees and sat on one of the fallen logs and forced himself to concentrate. However, his mind seemed to spin on its own axis, faltering because of the inattentive way he had behaved about people close to Tobirama.</p><p>Those new people... Many of them were <em> his children </em> . And Madara’s mind was now dedicated to repeating the names he knew <em> in order </em> and linking to the memories of their birthdays, to the memories of the Senju lighting incense and placing gifts for each one of them... And there were so many that Madara just wondered how he had left that go unnoticed.</p><p>How could he have overlooked this detail in his ex lover's life?</p><p>Madara didn't remember everything, he just remembered a few details besides their names and he hadn't even bothered to learn the names of the new people to make the necessary associations…</p><p>Tobirama, on the other hand, remembered many details about them: <em> their ages, what they liked, their skills... </em> Probably as a way of preventing them from being forgotten, as in fact, they were for the rest of the world.</p><p>
  <em> Who cared about the bodies under the beautiful dazzling floor, where Konoha rested? </em>
</p><p>Madara continued with his plan.</p><p>The only people who were not under his control were Tobirama and his d<em> earest children </em>, because after that day... Madara became more careful. However, the rest of his immense social circle that surrounded him was under his control and that was enough.</p><p>On that particular day, someone from the Senjus was on his birthday, Madara didn't know who, but as far as he believed, it could be about one of the younger brothers of the Second Hokage.</p><p>Madara quickly got tired of the whole social movement and Izuna asked him for a walk. As they walked, Izuna and he started that conversation where they were secretly betting on how many offenses and criticisms each could do to a certain person in one sentence.</p><p>They went to Hokage Rock, on the hill, to see the village, to sit and talk. Despite being paranoid about his last memory at the site, Madara had to follow <em> the script</em>.</p><p>As Izuna told him something about his children, Madara was lost in his own thoughts.</p><p>Apparently, Tobirama had no lover in that world.</p><p>Of the four Senju brothers, he was the only one who had not married.</p><p>He was in the same way as in the past, always beside his brother - <em> now, brothers </em> -, watching over his nephews, tutoring his students, being close to his friends and so on.</p><p>Madara must not have looked for it right. There must be <em> someone </em> escaping his search.</p><p>He wondered what that person would be like…</p><p>Perhaps it was someone who approached Tobirama after Madara leaving the village...</p><p>"Nii-san!"</p><p>The Uchiha was brought out of his thoughts abruptly by his brother's call. Izuna - somewhat away, already retiring - claimed that they should return soon to take their families home. </p><p>Madara agreed, hearing his brother joke about the clothes that one of his colleagues had worn. He leaned on the stone, rising slowly.</p><p>It was during such a relaxed movement on the part of the Uchiha that he heard a <em> crash </em> , like glass breaking. Madara remained motionless, considering what it might be and where it came from, so he looked up. <em> To the sky. </em></p><p>The sky was in deep gray, so dark that it seemed that the clouds were practically an arm's length over the brunette's head. There was a tear in the sky as if the whole view of the sky was like a torn painting.</p><p>Something wet touched his hands and he quickly identified it as water, but it was not a river of blood as he feared, it was just <em> dark. Deep dark waters. </em></p><p>Madara quickly got up and turned. He approached the edge of the hill and looked towards the village, seeing nothing but an extensive sea of dark waters that only contrasted with the dark gray sky overhead.</p><p>The Uchiha stepped back.</p><p>That was <em> the failure</em>.</p><p>Tobirama was awakening again from Tsukuyomi.</p><p>He cursed, moving away from the edge and feeling the water was already close to his ankles.</p><p>"<em>Doesn’t work</em>." Izuna said behind him.</p><p>The Uchiha turned when he heard his brother's words, but found his brother's on a faceless version of himself and as more disturbing as it was, it was the white glimpse of the dark waters that caught his attention. On the dark waters there was no reflection of Izuna or his faceless version, but of one of the White Zetsu.</p><p>
  <em> Why? </em>
</p><p>Why did it have a reflection of one of his artificial creatures in the ruined place of the Second Hokage's dream world?</p><p>There were other noises and Madara considered that the sky would collapse at any moment. More cracks appeared over the gray of the sky, supporting the idea of the Uchiha who decided to ignore the <em> bizarre white detail </em> in front of him and just run away.</p><p>But where?</p><p>Before anything could be done for real, a huge wave came pushing and throwing him along the waters out of the mountain. He remained conscious enough to see the sky collapse over him in <em> new waters. </em></p><p>
  <em> Blood. </em>
</p><p>Madara tried to disassociate himself from that world, to disconnect from the Second Hokage's mind, but it wasn't working. It seemed that Tobirama's mind did <em> not respond </em>, as if there was no capacity to perform the act, as if his brain functions had been stopped by that moment.</p><p>And apparently not even his Tsukuyomi skills were working...</p><p>
  <em> It was just him. </em>
</p><p>It was just Madara swimming in waters so dark, that for a moment, just a short moment, he despaired.</p><p>What if he never left?</p><p>Then, Madara after a long moment of simply struggling to get away, he stopped swimming. It had been so long since he did that and he was about to start despairing again. The Uchiha stopped and just stood in the water, looking around, seeing nothing but pure darkness.</p><p>In a lucky move, he tried to make an upward movement, as if seeking impulse to dive and hit his head against something.</p><p>Madara was still again on the waters and just watching the sky from that place. With hesitation, he tried to touch the darkness, discovering that practically above his head, no less than an arm's length, there was something.</p><p>Something that looked like wood over his head, as if he were under a room with a wooden floor. He could get out of there if he forced his way out and he did so, after long moments, trying to push the wood out and without any base to support him and increase the power of his action, Madara finally managed to break the wood.</p><p>But it was not like a break in the floor, but like a <em> lid opening</em>.</p><p>Madara tried not to concentrate on that detail, just lean on the edges of what he could see and pull himself out of the dark waters. Leaning on a ledge to the side, the brunette just threw himself <em> out </em>.</p><p>His body fell on earth and flowers.</p><p>As soon as he recovered from the crash of the fall, he opened his eyes and saw them.</p><p>Small, fragile and docile forget-me-nots. And further on, <em> just them</em>, an extensive field full of them. Madara trembled almost imperceptibly. Out of anger or fear, he himself did not know.</p><p>That was the field of flowers... <em> Of that dream</em>.</p><p>He stood up and looked at the sky, seeing the red background with black clouds.</p><p>Madara closed his eyes, breathing hard. He probably went back to a “s<em>tarting point</em>” in his mind before he completely <em> disengaged </em> himself from his ex lover.</p><p>
  <em> Human minds… </em>
</p><p>He decided to look at himself, seeing himself covered in blood.</p><p>So, it was in that he swam…</p><p>The Uchiha clicked his tongue and turned to see where he came from. It was not a kind of trapdoor on concrete as he considered for a moment, but <em> a box. </em></p><p>
  <em> That box. </em>
</p><p>The box, in that moment, was so large it looked more like a giant chest, but he still recognized it with the discoloration and scratches.</p><p>And it was open.</p><p>If that was Madara's mind, the box shouldn't be open, especially now that he was going through a sneaky rage process for having failed in his goal and being caught in something he would just call a nightmare.</p><p>The Uchiha approached with quick steps and held out his hand ready to pull the lid down and close it</p><p>(Maybe cause more scratches later...)</p><p>However, as soon as he approached and placed his hand on the lid of the box, he looked down into the box and of many things Madara expected to see there, a body floating in red water was his last idea.</p><p>
  <em> It was Tobirama's body. </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Some notes: According to a research source, the name Syumari is written in two kanji that make the translation look like "Vermilion ball". Her "unusual" name is what makes Madara's memory really "remember" something. Ironically, the people Madara mentioned (like the guy with the half burnt face and the others) are just like Syumari. They are "continuations".</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The last failure</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"Madara..." The light-haired man said in a distant tone of voice. “There are certain things that cannot be fixed."</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, everyone.<br/>I would like to thank you again for the comments. I hope you are enjoying the story and especially the ending.<br/>About this chapter... His "resourcefulness" is different and there are two narratives to be developed at the same time. And besides, I would like to leave something on the alert.<br/>I believe that all of you must have read the tags of this story, but still, I will warn you to prevent any discomfort, that this chapter contains murders, violence and an implicit description of suicides.<br/>This is the biggest chapter ever written and something tells me that the last one will be something even bigger.</p><p>So, I hope you like it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> Tobirama opened the bedroom door, in an almost brutal way. </em>
</p><p><em> He did not enter the room, instead he stayed outside, near the door. His eyes searched the place and in a matter of seconds, he closed the room door again without finding what he was looking for.          </em> </p><p>
  <em> Itama was not in that room. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  
</p><p>Madara remained motionless just looking at the body inside the <em> box</em>.</p><p>
  <em> Had he killed Tobirama? </em>
</p><p>His eyes widened, while his attention still remained on the body below him.</p><p><em> No </em> , he told himself. It was impossible for him to have killed Tobirama. <em> Not Tobirama</em>.</p><p>Tobirama was wearing the Hokage's robes, but the clothes did not have navy blue or even the pure white that represented him, only the deepest red of the waters where he rested on. </p><p>
  <em> Some sacrifices were needed... </em>
</p><p>There were no apparent wounds and even if there was, the liquid in which the body was immersed, a complete analysis was impossible and Madara could not take his eyes off the face of his ex lover.</p><p>He had only seen the bodies of his loved ones so few times that he could count the occasions on the fingers of his hands and there would still be fingers left... Madara even refused to see Tobirama's body, even though Zetsu informed him that he could hand over a clone for Konoha and keep it with him, as he had done in the past on his own body.</p><p>However, Madara refused. He didn't want to see Tobirama's body, he hadn't even dared to go after it to see or claim Hashirama's body and that's because Hashirama's DNA could be even more useful in large samples. Not even Izuna, who was killed in an ambush far from his eyes, did he want to see the body...</p><p>Seeing Tobirama's body was being... <em>a</em> <em>torture.</em></p><p>The Uchiha was trying to force himself to <em> separate </em> , to say that it was not Tobirama, but the <em> Second Hokage</em>. The real Tobirama was in one of the cocoons of the Sacred Tree...</p><p>
  <em> Safe. </em>
</p><p>And even though Tobirama from that dream was now in a destroyed world, he never became a Hokage for wearing those clothes.</p><p>
  <em> It was okay. </em>
</p><p><em> Whatever </em> was killed inside the box, it should not matter to Madara. <em> They </em> could have the same face, but <em> they </em> were different people. His mind, at least the rational part, was begging for some non-emotional reaction from him. Always repeating his commands, but Madara was still there, motionless.</p><p>
  <em> Close the box. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Lock the box. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Bury the box. </em>
</p><p>When Madara finally had a reaction to the commands in his mind, he went <em> back</em>. He took two steps back, away from the body, barely able to breathe. However, as he staggered away, he stopped seeing the <em> bloody box </em>in a field of blue flowers and began to see a tree with countless cocoons with arid soil on a mild sunny morning.</p><p>He was back. He had left the Tsukuyomi.</p><p>The Uchiha looked at himself and found himself without a spot or drop of blood on him, only the white of his robes. He closed his eyes, frustrated by his startled, <em> overreaction </em>of emotions for just an illusion.</p><p>
  <em> He had not killed Tobirama. </em>
</p><p>As a reflex of remembering the other man, he looked up and found the Second Hokage's cocoon falling apart and about to let go. Madara took a deep breath and raised one hand to his eyes, covering them.</p><p><em> It was safe. </em> </p><p>While he was relieved by the crazy idea that he had murdered his lover not to be true, Madara was tempted to make the idea a reality at that moment. Of all the things Tobirama could do against him, that was one of the worst.</p><p>
  <em> It was cruel. </em>
</p><p>Madara looked at Senju's body in front of him.</p><p>But everything was fine. Madara controlled the strength of his feelings and refocused on just one thing.</p><p>(There was a box buried over a pile of earth overturned in a field of blue flowers that looked more like a kind of coffin...)</p><p>He would force Tobirama to submit like the others...</p><p>
  <em> Again. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em> The boy Senju dragged the blade of his katana sword across the wooden floor, marking the material and making a sound that covered the noises of his steps in the corridor, as he approached the door of the other room. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Tobirama narrowed his eyes as he scanned the other room, but just like the other time, he found nothing in his parents' room. He slammed the door shut and turned around, walking out of the hall and looking to the side. Where there were four other rooms. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The second time inside his lover's Tsukuyomi Infinite, Madara did not spare any of Tobirama's children from his control. <em> None at all</em>. However, he soon found himself swimming in dark water and escaping through the box. That time at least, Second Hokage's body did not appear.</p><p>Madara believed that if he hadn't killed him, it must be someone. Tobirama had so many enemies that even in his dreams, can they attack him? That was at the very least... <em> impossible. </em></p><p> </p><p>The third time, despite having approached Tobirama, going against <em> the script of </em>that world, the same was repeated...</p><p>This was the fourth time.</p><p>And again, Madara was going <em> against the script of </em>that world...</p><p>He couldn't have said <em> the most important words </em> to Tobirama while they were together, but those attempts to ensure that Senju had a <em> good dream</em>, was the greatest proof of his real feelings. Still, Madara was already reaching his limit and the concept of simply grabbing Tobirama by the shoulders and asking him for explanations about his escapes from Tsukuyomi seemed more tempting to him every day within that world.</p><p>Even his abilities on the Tsukuyomi Infinite and the Sacred Tree could not identify where the error was, it was as if the dream actually fulfilled its intention.</p><p>
  <em> Make Tobirama happy. </em>
</p><p>And within the dream everything was normal, everything perfectly normal, until that specific moment arrived and that world fell apart. It had an epicenter, an epicenter that Madara was not identifying and his best guess was Tobirama himself. </p><p>That was repeating itself so many times that Madara even knew how many days he had to swim in the dark waters and go out bathed in blood until he reached that field of blue flowers.</p><p>As far as he knew, the long-awaited event would be the next day and Madara was already pessimistic about the outcome. He was going to fail again and the fact of knowing that was leaving him frustrated and fatigued...</p><p>The day before that fateful day, he didn't mind pestering the Senju brothers in his time as “brothers” and accompanied Hashirama to the restaurant where the four brothers would spend time, alone drinking and talking.</p><p>He sat next to Tobirama and received a withering look from Itama in return, the younger man sat on the other side, next to his other older brother, Kawarama, with a sulky expression. Ironically, the same sulky expression was on Tobirama's face, beside him.</p><p>In extension, Madara was also in a bad mood and accepted the proposal to drink and it would not have been a problem, after all, the Uchiha was used to drinking in some occasions and even if those few occasions existed, he was not <em> weak </em> for drinks, but the problem was that he was drinking with the Senjus and his "strength" for drinking soon proved to be as tough as a breeze in opposition to the skills of the Senju brothers. While the other four men seemed just more <em> playful, </em> Madara was almost asleep on the table.</p><p>"What are you doing?" Tobirama asked in that almost high-pitched tone of pure impatience.</p><p>"Nothing." Madara responded sincerely.</p><p>The Senju took a deep breath and glared at him. "Do you really think I can't feel your hand on my thigh?"</p><p>The Uchiha frowned and looked around, seeing Tobirama's other brothers unaware of the conversation.</p><p>"I'm not hurting you." He said.</p><p>"But I will hurt you." Tobirama replied, approaching. "Take your hand off."</p><p>The light-haired man stepped away and touched Hashirama's arm, the two started talking quietly to each other.</p><p>Madara went back to sipping his drink, unconcerned, because there was no chance that Tobirama was complaining about what happened to Hashirama.</p><p>However, Madara's feelings continued to <em> trickle </em>out as he continued to drink.</p><p>He wanted to be with Izuna.</p><p>
  <em> The true one. </em>
</p><p>He wanted to be with his brothers.</p><p>
  <em> The true ones. </em>
</p><p>He wanted to go back to <em> his lover. </em></p><p>
  <em> Return to his own Tsukuyomi. </em>
</p><p>The Uchiha closed his eyes sluggishly and leaned forward, laying his head on the smooth, cold surface of the table, absorbed into the world around him.</p><p>Perhaps drinking was not a good idea.</p><p>Many memories were surfacing.</p><p>As, for example, when Madara did that by lying half of his body on a table, he would have fingers caressing his scalp in a sort of stroke that made him almost fall asleep. Usually it was while Tobirama was finishing up a report or writing something else on his desk and Madara was at his side...</p><p>There were also cold mornings, where Madara didn't want to get out of bed, because that day just didn't look <em> good</em>. It was common at least once or twice a week for Madara to lose interest in activities that he previously believed he liked and he spent the rest of the day in a bad mood about it, but he no longer felt willing to do anything. Tobirama would let him stay at his house and make him a rosemary tea before he left...</p><p>Normally, Madara's hair was matted easily and before sleeping, Tobirama combed the strands and made a big braid to prevent further stress on the part of the Uchiha when getting up early the next day.</p><p>Occasionally, while <em> in the cave</em>, Madara remembered these details and wondered how his ex lover was, but it was just that, a few seconds in the air where his mind wandered before he returned to focus on his ideal...</p><p>Madara felt fingers caress his scalp and turned his face away from the table. When he turned his face towards the person, Tobirama tried to pull his hand away, but the brunette stopped him, holding his wrist. He didn't really care what Tobirama was thinking now, but he was going to enjoy the little moment of pity before the next day's stab.</p><p>His hair in front of his face and the gloved hand next to his nose should have prevented Senju from seeing his face, but occasionally, Madara arched his lips slightly in quick smiles.</p><p>He must have dozed off for a few minutes, as he only returned to <em> paying attention </em>to the real world because of a small debate between Tobirama's younger brothers, where they discussed who would go first after Hashirama. The mess in his hair stopped when Tobirama complained to his brothers, which made Madara look up with a bitter expression.</p><p>The light-haired man complained about the recently brought plates of food that his brothers had ordered and they would not eat now. Madara looked at the foods, where they were on two plates, one of takoyaki and one of tempuras.</p><p>(Tobirama spoke as if he were not going to eat all that once his brothers turned away.)</p><p>The Uchiha sighed, failing to pay attention to the debate between the Senju brothers and returning to drinking.</p><p>At some point, while just the two of them, Madara rested his hand on the other man's thigh. Tobirama, who was concentrating on eating the takoyakis, took a long time to notice his movement. He gave him an inquisitive look, but soon returned to paying attention to the food, going to attack the tempuras this time.</p><p>Madara made no other movements, just continued to drink without moving his other hand. He squeezed Tobirama's thigh at some point, but he soon pointed forward when Tobirama turned his face in his direction. His brothers had ordered another dish, one of inarizushi this time.</p><p>Tobirama clicked the tongue and thanked the employee who brought the food. When the man left, he leaned forward and took one of the inarizushi, devouring it. Madara would not eat any of that, but he knew Tobirama well enough to know that it would all be gone soon.</p><p>It must have been almost half an hour in pure silence, without the other Senju brothers returning with Madara drinking and Tobirama just eating the fried food. The brunette approached the younger man again and despite having a slight smile, the return was just an atrocious look.</p><p>
  <em> Sweet and lovely as always. </em>
</p><p>Madara was unmoved by that and just continued on his way. "Can I ask for advice?"</p><p>Tobirama stopped his chewing with a sideways glance and took a deep breath, then took another takoyaki, one of the last three, and before devouring the little muffin, he replied grudgingly.</p><p>"Speak."</p><p>"I have someone important." The brunette revealed. </p><p>"Your wife-"             </p><p>"It's not her." Madara interrupted him with a serious, high-pitched voice. Then, he turned his face, humming low, like a purr, and put his arm against the Senju's arm.</p><p>"Someone important." The Uchiha continued. "Lovingly speaking."</p><p>Tobirama nodded, eating the last inarizushi.</p><p>"We are not together anymore." The brunette explained. </p><p>"A love from the past." The light-haired man spoke. </p><p>"That." Madara confirmed and smiled slightly, looking the other way. "I'm trying to fix something."             </p><p>There was a moment of silence with Tobirama, serving himself some of the drink as he had finished all the fried food. "Do you want that person back?"</p><p>"Yes." Madara replied without hesitation, keeping his eyes on the other man's profile.</p><p>At that moment, Tobirama sipped some of his drink and turned to face Madara. "You should talk it over with your wife."</p><p>"Maybe I should." The Uchiha responded with disdain.</p><p>"Not today." Tobirama issued. "Today, you're just going to hurt her."</p><p>Madara was drunk, that was what the younger man meant.</p><p>The brunette rolled his eyes. <em> Why should he care about the feelings of an illusion? </em></p><p>Still, he smiled, closing his eyes and replied. "I have a way with people, got it?" </p><p>"Is that why you came to ask for advice for a man two years younger than you and is not married?" Tobirama replied.</p><p>The Uchiha opened his lips and made a sound that seemed like the beginning of a laugh, then he licked his right canine in a roguish smile and faced the other man.</p><p>"Who knows, your greatest wisdom may not have been that?"</p><p>There was another moment of silence.</p><p>"Why do you want to go back with that person?" Tobirama spoke, breaking the silence.</p><p>Madara raised an eyebrow and after a few seconds, considering, he simply shrugged.</p><p>"Who knows."</p><p>Tobirama shook his head and drank some more.</p><p>"Madara..." He said in a soft voice and only his tone made Madara breathe deeply. "You have a good life and lovely children, why risk that?"</p><p>The Uchiha wanted to roll his eyes, but instead, he looked up.</p><p>"Like I said..." He spoke again. "I'm trying to fix something."</p><p>"Like what?"</p><p>Madara drank all of his drink in a single sip and exhaled, in disgust.</p><p>"We had something, but the situations kept us apart." The brunette told. "Then we met again, but we just fought..."</p><p>He narrowed his eyes, as if trying to see something in his mind on the smooth surface of the table. "We didn't agree with anything more."</p><p>Soon after, he leaned back in his seat.</p><p>"So, this person is now doing everything wrong." The man emitted with a distant look. "And I'm trying to fix it for this person."</p><p>"Why?" Tobirama inquired.</p><p>Madara turned his face away and focused on the other man's crimson eyes. </p><p>"Because I love this person." He confessed. "I want that person to be happy."</p><p>Tobirama tilted his head and turned his gaze forward, picking up the bottle of the drink and helping himself again. "And what does that person think?"</p><p>"<em>This person </em> is too blind to see this." Madara turned away and replied impatiently.</p><p>A moment of silence came, but the brief moment was broken by laughter. Low, grave and short. Madara felt a tingle at the back of his neck as he heard it behind him. He turned his face to Tobirama and found Senju looking forward with a… <em> serene </em> look <em> . </em></p><p>"Madara..." The light-haired man said in a <em> distant </em> tone of voice. “<em>There are certain things that cannot be fixed.</em>"</p><p>The Uchiha frowned when he heard the speech. At that moment, before he spoke in any way, the employee came back to him with a new dish of fries, kushiage. Madara saw Tobirama put the drink aside and was already taking one of the croquettes to eat.</p><p>Madara kept his gaze on the employee and was completely silent afterwards. It was only when Tobirama finished swallowing and poured himself another drink that he returned to the Senju's focus.</p><p>"It is admirable that you dedicate yourself to this." He exposed. "I did not expect this from you."</p><p>Madara frowned again, this time, almost offended.</p><p>If it were Zetsu or even Obito to say that, he would even laugh and say: <em> "You are right" </em> , but there was Tobirama. The Senju knew you well enough for that. <em> Or what? </em>Had Tobirama had amnesia after he left the village?</p><p>"But..." Tobirama spoke again, after finishing one of the croquettes. "Bad or not, it's up to that person to participate or not in what you plan for <em> them </em>."</p><p>The Uchiha's eyes narrowed menacingly. "It's for the best."</p><p>Tobirama seemed indifferent to his response or the threat implied in his body language and drank some of his drink.</p><p>"Can be." The younger man enunciated. "But the decision must be of <em> this person</em>."</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em> As he approached the entrance to the corridor, he raised his katana sword and slammed the blade against the wooden garrison that constituted the entrance door to the corridor. Placing the blade in the material, making a fine cut, but with a loud sound that reverberated through the empty corridor. The light-haired boy looked at the door to the last room and raised an eyebrow. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He chose to go to the door of the first room and as soon as he opened it, he repeated the same process as before and in a matter of seconds, closed the door again, this time gently, without any sound. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The next day, Madara kept his eyes constantly on Tobirama even during that party and always knew where he was. And when people started to leave and he knew that Izuna would soon invite him to go for a walk to the Hokage Rock, he went right after Tobirama who had left minutes before with his sister-in-law.</p><p>He found Mito with one of his sons in the garden and Tobirama nowhere.</p><p>Then, Madara despaired and started looking for the Senju.</p><p>It was all so fast. That he just remembers thinking about the dark waters about most of the event. There were other vague memories, where he visualized empty rooms, went down some stairs, moved through the forest, walked on a trail that had walls beside it that looked like some concrete gray mass. And then, the <em> bloody lake. </em></p><p>It was a kind of ornamental lake that was in a temple that seemed abandoned by the large amount of climbing plants in its structure, although it also had several plants that gave it the appearance of a peaceful and fertile place. Madara didn't even know that there was a trail from the Senjus' living area to a part of the forest that led to a temple in the middle of nowhere.</p><p>However, none of that mattered.</p><p>Madara found himself reliving the experience of <em> the bloody box </em>with a body inside.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> When the boy Senju tried to open the door to the second bedroom, he found it locked. His crimson eyes narrowed, but instead of forcing his way in, he looked over his left shoulder towards the third bedroom door in that hall. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The first rule to hide and not get caught was not to choose the obvious. In a hallway with four rooms, choosing the latter would be foolish. And as far as he knew, the short time he gave Itama, only gave him enough time to get there, in the corridor of the four rooms. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And although the idea of Kawarama's room being locked was a good alternative to where his brother was hiding, it was only a trap and Tobirama knew it. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  
</p><p>The temple had two small ornamental ponds at the front and it was in the lake on the right side, next to the large white-flowered cherry tree that Madara prostrated himself in front.</p><p>Inside the ornamental lake there was a body floating on the red waters. The navy blue yukata with silver details was clean in the chest area, as was the face of the body that floated on the water. There were flowers and white petals on the lake floating along the body, making the scene more macabre.</p><p>Madara had a slight dizziness, mixed with the feeling of nausea and moved away from the lake's edge with fast breathing. When the brunette heard the sound of glass breaking, he closed his eyes, knowing that the sky was breaking over his head.</p><p>
  <em> He failed. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> Without hesitation, he went to the third bedroom and opened it without any difficulty. His eyes immediately fell on the large closet. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The boy Senju did not stand in front of the closet entrance, instead, he just stood on the side and with the tip of his sword pulled the closet door to the side, opening it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> His brother sped through the entrance, falling to the ground with a kunai in his hands. Tobirama quickly fell on his back and raised his sword. The light-haired boy turned his face at the last second and beheaded the younger boy, with blood staining his left cheek. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>It was the fifth time.</p><p>And Madara still didn't know where he was going wrong.</p><p>His mind on his instincts, practically screamed that there was <em> something</em>, something he was missing.</p><p>Was he really killing his lover?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The Second Hokage on blue flowers, under Madara, humming peacefully and the Uchiha stabbing him continuously… </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><em> That was necessary </em>, Madara was forced to say. However, it was over and everything could be restored again.</p><p> </p><p>“<em>There are certain things that cannot be fixed.</em>” <em> Tobirama said with extreme serenity, although there was conviction in his voice. </em></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em> No. </em>
</p><p>Madara refused to accept that line.</p><p>He could fix <em> that.  </em></p><p>He had fixed the world.</p><p>Made that flawed world disappear and a new perfect world emerged in its place, a world where everyone was happy. <em> Everyone.  </em></p><p>He could fix <em> that flaw. </em></p><p>
  <em> He would go. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em> Tobirama, as a boy of ten years, continued to eat his sashimi with ease. Regardless of the turmoil that his other three brothers caused at his side. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He blinked his small eyes with slowness, seriously considering something during his lunch. When he finished his meal, quietly, he had already made his decision. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Leaning over the table, he took the chopsticks from his younger brother, Itama, without the boy noticing and adjusting them in his small left hand, he wielded them and turned towards his older brother, stabbing the other boy in the jugular with the rods. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Then, his other brothers started to scream and with his other hand, he wielded other chopsticks next to him, hitting his other brother in the same way as his older brother. Itama, his last younger brother, ran towards the corridors. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Tobirama got up and approached the wall of the room, taking the big katana sword and following in his brother's footsteps. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Madara did not care about the rules of that world, if he had to surround his ex lover and check each of his actions until the “unstable” phase disappeared, he would do so.</p><p>"Where are you going?" Madara asked Tobirama, after seeing him walk away from his sister-in-law and nephew in the garden.</p><p>Tobirama made an expression of disdain and looked him up and down, as if silently questioning where Madara thought he had any authority over him.</p><p>Anyway, even grudgingly, Tobirama answered him, crossing his arms. "To the temple."</p><p>Madara swallowed and forced himself to appear calm in his reply. "Is there a temple here?"</p><p>The Senju looked over his shoulder, not at his sister-in-law, but at his nephew specifically and then rolled his eyes before answering Madara.</p><p>"There is one in the forest."</p><p>The older man nodded, falsely interested.</p><p>"It looks kind of dangerous." He said with an expression of feigned concern. "I can go?" </p><p>"No." Tobirama said, walking past him.</p><p>"I'm going anyway." The brunette spoke calmly and followed in Tobirama's footsteps, until the younger man turned around, entering the garden again. </p><p>"I'm not going anymore."</p><p>Madara smiled slightly and then pressed his lips together to hide his amusement. He touched the light-haired man's shoulder, pulling him back.</p><p>"Great." The Uchiha spoke. "Let's walk around."</p><p>Madara took the youngest until the moment he saw the <em> fault</em>, the Hokage Rock, and although he was dedicated to discussing some matters with the other man, Tobirama only responded with monosyllables and at other times, only with "positive" or "negative" <em> hums. </em></p><p>Madara then asked Tobirama if he would like to be a Hokage one day, which must have attracted Senju's attention, because he finally answered him without monosyllables or hums. Soon, they started talking about their problems with the elders and Madara had a lot more to complain about than Tobirama.</p><p>They stayed that way until the first star appeared in the sky, while the sunset took place.</p><p>Madara smiled as he contemplated his first success and tried to act naturally. </p><p>Tobirama also noticed the star in the sky and then he also <em> smiled. </em></p><p>The Senju said that Madara should go home.</p><p>The brunette stood on the rock, looking towards the village. "I met one of your children."</p><p>"One of <em> my children</em>?" Tobirama inquired absently to still observe the star.</p><p>"Yes." Madara said. "Your secretary."</p><p>The younger man looked over his shoulder as he adjusted his navy blue yukata over the dark robes he had underneath.</p><p>"Oh yeah. <em> Syumari</em>.”</p><p>The Uchiha smiled slightly when he heard the woman's name, smoothing his hair and then answered. "She's adorable."</p><p>Tobirama did not reply, he turned his attention to the village.</p><p>"You..." Madara said and then took a deep breath. "You were a good mentor."</p><p>Madara could feel the box emerging again, like a living dead crawling across the land to haunt him. It almost killed him to have to bury it, but it cost so little to bring it back to the surface, to put it in his hands.</p><p>"Really?" Tobirama articulated. "Other people would say that I trained her to cause the extermination of your clan."</p><p>"I am a visionary." Madara quickly replied. "I'm happy for you... They made it this far."</p><p>There was a moment of silence.</p><p>"Isn't it?" Tobirama emitted, his voice becoming distant.</p><p> The Uchiha had the feeling that <em> his dream </em>was repeating itself.</p><p>"It makes you wonder if it's not all a dream." Tobirama continued.</p><p>             </p><p>
  <em> "I'm leaving you." </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> Tobirama never looked away from his right side. He did not look at his brother Itama's beheaded body and remained watching the smooth wooden wall. Soon, his field of vision changed and he saw blue flowers beside him. Finding himself lying in undergrowth with a small bouquet of blue flowers beside him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He had successfully stepped out of Madara's genjutsu. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The Senju didn't have time to care what was morally right or less painful in that illusion, he had to get out of there. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> A non-offensive illusion only burned with an oxidizer: the victim's own mind. And in an illusion that should be maintained indefinitely, depending on outside intervention and the situation of Madara becoming a deserter, Tobirama had little to do but break the illusion on his own. Who knows how long it would take to find him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> So, he did. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Destroying the only thing that supported that illusion. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> His brothers. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Madara walked away, adjusting his gloves. It was when he heard a humming, for a moment his whole body prepared to hear a crash, however, when he recognized the humming, he calmed down and even breathed a sigh of relief.</p><p>It was a <em> different </em>humming than the Second Hokage did on those blue flowers. That humming was the same thing Madara heard on the cold mornings when he got up earlier, without his lover having to call him to let him know that his tea was ready.</p><p>Madara even remembered to crawl, wrapped in the Senju's blanket, to the front of the house, without leaving the house, just where it was near one of the windows.</p><p>Just by hearing the humming, he could almost smell the smoke that the woman was doing near Tobirama's house. Swinging the large container with hot coal sideways as she walked.</p><p>The old woman would stop to greet Tobirama and he rewarded her with some coins and two fruits. Then his lover would go to the kitchen and bring his rosemary tea.</p><p>The Uchiha felt under the effect of a fog with that sound and the mixture of memory in his mind and turned to call Tobirama, so that they would soon return to their homes.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em> Tobirama was angry. Very angry. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> But he was never able to think properly when angry, so for that moment, he would push that feeling down and focus only on reason. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He could almost feel his chakra resonating with the rivers, lakes and fountains near Konoha by the pure fury that was experienced at that moment. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The Senju rose, sitting up and looking for his brother's chakra and as soon as he found it, he teleported to Hashirama. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Madara turned around just long enough to see Tobirama falling forward. Falling from the great mountain.</p><p>But there was no shout. No one screams for help or one try to hold himself somehow. </p><p>Just a body falling into the darkness.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Some notes: In case, it was not clear to some, the "second narrative" is about the genjutsu where Tobirama was placed by Madara when he left the village and how he got out of the illusion.</p><p>Besides, there was nothing that Madara could do in the end. He didn't even interfere in any way. He just delayed the inevitable.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Bad temperance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The problem was that Madara had a tendency to create problems, so he got tired of the confusion that came from the problems and soon after, he chose to focus on one thing because he simply want it.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, everyone.<br/>There were some problems and I ended up delaying the delivery of this chapter, which was scheduled for the 31st, and even after that, it ended up taking a lot of words and again, I had to divide the chapter.<br/>I hope you like it and forgive any mistakes you find.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Madara had been whispering to himself for twenty minutes, always looking out the window, making gestures as if explaining a theory. Tobirama came and went to the room and every time, the Uchiha was the same way.</p><p>The platinum-haired man could simply ask what was bothering the other man, but the whole situation reminded him of when he himself was focused on creating his theories or redoing the calculations of an experiment that failed and in those moments, everything Tobirama less wanted it was to be interrupted. He hates it when Hashirama or another relative does, so he wouldn't do the same with Madara.</p><p>When it was close to dinner time, Madara finally left the room and Senju for a few mere seconds considered the chance that he would be attacked. Madara's chakra was at an alarming level as if he was going to go into battle.</p><p>"Tobirama, I want to talk about us."</p><p><em> But of course</em>, Tobirama considered, taking a deep breath and closing the little book he was reading.</p><p> That explained so much...</p><p>The Senju remained silent and let Madara do what he was comfortable with.</p><p>Madara chose to sit next to him. He took a deep breath and opened his lips ready to speak, but instead, he almost choked on a sudden cough and turned his face away. Then he repeated the process all over again and to Tobirama it seemed that Madara was restarting the same cycle he had been in previously.</p><p>The younger man narrowed his eyes as he rested his head on one hand, still studying his lover.</p><p>He already expected some difficulty of an emotional nature in Madara's life and he was understandable as much as he could, because he understood that not everyone could be well resolved with himself.</p><p>Tobirama would be in the same place as Madara, if the Senjus were not... <em> Senjus. </em></p><p>Anyway, he left Madara comfortable for a few more minutes. The Uchiha sighed, settled on the seat and started the cycle all over again, ignoring the presence of the other man.</p><p>Tobirama couldn't know Madara as well as his brother, but he could see that the Uchiha was promoting <em> something </em> by sheer experience and emotional reading. And honestly... <em> He had no interest in that. </em></p><p>It had been almost seven months since they were in that strange emotional and sexual limbo that Tobirama preferred not to name. Madara, on the other hand, seemed to feel the need to label everything in his life as tags on numerous shelves full of files, probably as a way to build a mental security base, Tobirama believed.</p><p>The problem was that Madara had a tendency to create problems, so he got tired of the confusion that came from the problems and soon after, he chose to focus on one thing because he <em> simply wanted it.  </em></p><p>
  <em> Self-sabotage. </em>
</p><p>Tobirama already had experience in that because he had to deal with his family all his life, so this time he would save his own stress and avoid a headache issue for his lover.</p><p>"Madara." The Senju called, approaching when the man looked at him. "I know what you're doing."</p><p>"What you mean?"</p><p>Upon receiving the response from the other man, Tobirama narrowed his eyes again in the way that Madara had previously described that made him feel like a "<em>useless experiment that had stained other important material </em>".</p><p>He could explain to Madara that what he was trying to do - perhaps unconsciously - was to try to create a situation where he could generate a problem, where the confusion caused him some pain so he could go back to <em> rock bottom </em> where he was a short time ago.</p><p>Madara was <em> doing well </em>, he knew it himself and secretly, Tobirama knew it too and now, he was going through a “guilt for overcoming” crisis and wanted to sabotage something that would make him go back to square one.</p><p>Tobirama could see the mechanisms that his lover was manipulating.</p><p>
  <em> Madara wanted to say that he loved him. </em>
</p><p>And someone else might find it adorable and other someone else might find it almost outrageous, that Madara was using something that should be <em> sacred </em> to be his own <em> dagger, </em> but Tobirama was... <em> indifferent </em> to that at the moment and chose to be as <em> mild as </em>possible.</p><p>"I know you feel the need to want to understand many things, Madara." The Senju exposed it. "But what we have doesn't have to be one of those things."</p><p>Madara turned away and snorted, moving his lips in words that just wouldn't come out.</p><p>"What do you want to talk about..." Tobirama continued. “It's much more complicated than you think, but what you need to do, it doesn't have to be now. <em> We </em> are here and have plenty of time. Take <em> your </em>time.”</p><p>The Uchiha frowned, as if irritated by the younger man's statement, which only made it look like he hated having his self-sabotaging mechanism destroyed before the execution.</p><p>
  <em> Some people liked to suffer. </em>
</p><p>“Try not to think about it. <em> It's not important.</em>” Tobirama enunciated, raising an eyebrow. "Focus on you first and then, one day, we'll talk about it."</p><p>The Senju expected that the issue would be closed there for a long time, for a matter of years, of preference. He stood up, walking towards one of the shelves, holding the small book in his hands.</p><p>Madara was silent and got up and went back to the room he was in before, but before Tobirama left for the kitchen, he returned.</p><p>"Okay." Madara spoke, drawing the younger man's attention. "Can I at least give you that?"</p><p>The Uchiha held out the vase of blue flowers, Tobirama took the object.</p><p>"<em> Myosotis </em>?" The light-haired man inquired, looking at the vase of blue flowers suspiciously.</p><p>Madara pressed his lips together and approached, not answering, but just looking at the red tattoo on the other man's face, instead of his eyes. </p><p>Tobirama fiddled with the flowers and looked back at his lover. "Why?"</p><p>"Because... Just because" Madara replied, turning his face and looking around the room, avoiding Tobirama's gaze.</p><p>The Senju raised an eyebrow, slightly annoyed by the gift, perhaps more by the detail, than its meaning. Nothing against Myosotis, but at least they could have been his favorite flowers...</p><p>"Did you like it?" Madara asked, turning his face towards him, but still not looking him in the eye.</p><p>In addition to giving a gift that was not in <em> keeping </em>with his tastes, the symbology of flowers resounded in his mind like a drum being played on Sundays by the members of his clan and still, there was Madara refusing to look him in the eye. Honestly, Tobirama found himself wondering why he had been involved in it all.</p><p>However, the Senju forced himself to control himself, blaming his <em> spoiled vein </em> and despite considering himself in a “<em>bad mood </em>” - because those details had really entered under his skin in some way - and wanting to return the vase and ask for a gift which was in fact his preference, he just took a deep breath and gently touched the flowers again.</p><p>"I wish they were my favorite flowers." Tobirama said.</p><p>Apparently, his <em> spoiled vein </em>was stronger than he had considered.</p><p>"Weren't they your favorite flowers?" Madara replied, finally looking him in the eye.</p><p>As much as he wanted to respond with the profoundly truth mixed to that <em> poisonous thing </em> that his family said he does when he spoke, he controlled himself, because, much to Tobirama's own frustration, of the two, he was probably the one who most held emotional intelligence in some way and that would be a passionate response that he always was trying to avoid.</p><p>Then, again, he just lifted his chin and replied calmly. "Thanks."</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  
</p><p>After undoing the technique on the Senju, Madara walked away in complete silence, keeping a relative distance from the other man, just observing and analyzing the nuances of his chakra. And it didn't take Tobirama long to wake up completely and this time consciously, in fact. The new god found Tobirama's chakra a little weak, but in fact, it looked more like it was Tobirama himself <em> crushing the energy </em>. </p><p>Madara chose to make Tobirama comfortable and make his own choices at that moment. Apparently the Senju chose to pay attention to the Sacred Tree rather than the new god. And that way, he spent a lot of time with Tobirama just analyzing the tree and Madara from a distance watching him.</p><p>Secretly, Madara also didn't want to deal with the other man's bad mood. Not after so much stress and being so tired of his own failures. He knew that Tobirama was in a bad mood. Practically, his lover was <em> always </em>in a bad mood and now he had found a reason to be even more angry.</p><p>According to Hashirama, when it came to emotions with Tobirama, it was best to let him come to you himself, at least that was what the First Hokage used to do when his brother and he had disagreements and it was just what was happening between Madara and Tobirama that moment.</p><p>And Hashirama was right, after a few minutes, Tobirama approached in silence and Madara decided to speak up.</p><p>"Humanity will never wage wars again." The Uchiha said. “There will never be children like us. Like our brothers.”</p><p>Tobirama looked at him with a neutral expression and Madara couldn't say what the shinobi was pondering.  </p><p>"Even people who want war for their own benefits will have it, but without hurting others." He continued to describe.</p><p>Then, he looked around and gestured with his arms. "It is the perfect world."</p><p>"Did you decide to <em> break </em>the world simply for not accepting human nature?" Tobirama scorned as he inclined his head.</p><p>Madara narrowed his eyes, taking a deep breath.</p><p>The first <em> real </em>time they spoke since the activation of the Tsukuyomi technique and it was a discussion about human nature and worse, that was just one of the very few topics that strongly disagreed with each other.</p><p>"I accept human nature." The new god explained. "I don't accept the models of society that they created."</p><p>"The models of society are reflections of human nature." Tobirama replied, raising an eyebrow proudly.</p><p>"No." Madara denied it and approached the other man. "Those models of society were creations of powerful people, corrupted people who by extension of their deeds corrupted others and thus created that world of tragedies."</p><p>"It is human nature to be corrupt, to seek power and to create battles." The Senju spoke with smugness.</p><p>"No longer!" The Uchiha declared loud and clear, creating echoes from his loud speech and then, he lowered his tone in a more affable tone. "I am the new god of this world and <em> my world </em>is not like that."</p><p>Tobirama seemed uninterested or simply unimpressed by his new abilities and simply rolled his eyes. "I don't know why I'm paying attention to you."</p><p>Before Tobirama turned to give his attention to the cocoons behind him, Madara moved toward him, taking him by the shoulders and shaking him. The Senju quickly pushed him away and walked away with quick steps.</p><p>"Who do you think you are?" Tobirama inquired with an expression of fury.</p><p>"Me?" Madara replied. "I should be the one to ask you that question."</p><p>The new god advanced again towards the man, but without touching him, just positioning himself face to face with the other man. "Who do you think you are, Tobirama?"</p><p>"Do you want a list?" The man said, crossing his arms, regardless of Madara's authoritarian stance. “But I think you are looking for another answer. What is it?"</p><p>The Uchiha narrowed his eyes at the ignorance of the facts of his ex lover and bowed his head, moving away when considering that the possibility that Tobirama did not know what it was about was true.</p><p>After all, the technique analyzed the subconscious and for that it controlled the conscious part of the individual, Madara had to literally undo the technique on Tobirama for the Rinnegan to disappear in his eyes, as a sign that his consciousness had returned. Because despite escaping from Tsukuyomi, it was only Tobirama's subconscious that undid the technique, but his conscience remained enclosed in a controlled state of “sleeping”.</p><p>"You left the Tsukuyomi." Madara revealed, looking sideways at the other man.</p><p>"I did?" Tobirama asked with mild surprise and then looked up at the branches of the Sacred Tree and a shadow of a smile appeared on his face. "That was very impressive." </p><p>"It's not funny." The new god said impatiently.</p><p>"Admit it is." The Senju replied, while shrugging his shoulders in disdain.</p><p> Madara lowered his head, covering his eyes.</p><p>"I tried to fix it." He confessed, feeling the anger inside him increase as he spoke. "Do you have a perfect world with your biggest dreams and you just throw that chance away?"</p><p>The Uchiha looked up, clenching his fist. "Do you know how many would kill for that chance? Everyone."</p><p>Tobirama seems to have heard nothing of what he had said, being very attentive looking over his shoulder at the other two cocoons close to where he was, the cocoons where two of the reincarnated Hokages were, his brother and his student.</p><p>The silence settled, while Madara pondered if it was the “ignore” game or simply if the other man hadn't heard.  </p><p>"Well, Madara, it looks like you forgot a lot about me." Tobirama spoke, breaking the silence and turning his face in his direction. "I am not like everyone."</p><p>Madara returned to stand in front of him, narrowing his eyes and ready to respond to the other man's rebellion, but before Tobirama spoke again.</p><p>"And you speak as if I'm aware of it." He said, lifting his chin in implied confrontation. "Know that I didn't have..."</p><p>The Senju turned his back on him, walking away.</p><p>"I would have done worse." He revealed.</p><p>Unfortunately, Madara saw the truth in that speech.</p><p>"<em>Very lovely. </em>" The new god spoke, staring at the shinobi's back.</p><p>Even though he was not an Uchiha or a genjutsu expert like many of his clan, once they were, Tobirama had his own techniques of illusion, one of which was a deprivation of senses in absolute darkness and that indirectly, people - <em> without sharingan, caught on the battlefield </em>- survivors described it as a nightmare. The technique was even shared with Hashirama who even dared to use it during their final battle.</p><p>(It hadn't lasted long with Madara's best genjutsu skills, but it was long enough for Hashirama to prepare an attack that almost knocked him out…)</p><p>The new god took advantage of Tobirama's attention back to himself and continued to question him about his actions within Tsukuyomi.</p><p>On the other hand, Tobirama narrowed his eyes and turned his face away. "Why does that bother you so much?"</p><p>"Because I want you to have a good life." Madara revealed.</p><p>The Senju frowned.</p><p>"Why?" He emitted in a stressed voice. "I'm already dead."</p><p>"You are here now. <em> Alive." </em>Madara replied.</p><p>"Against my will." Tobirama replied, walking away again. "As always."</p><p>Madara followed him to where Tobirama walked, the cocoons where the boy Uzumaki and his father, the Fourth Hokage, were. The Uchiha started a new topic about his relationship with those two, but soon, he returned to the subject of Tsukuyomi, Tobirama responded with irritation and returned to the starting point, where his own cocoon should be.</p><p>"Why did you decide to be the decoy?" The Uchiha questioned. "Was it because they had families?"</p><p>There was a moment of silence with Tobirama with his eyes and thoughts elsewhere. Madara chose to approach cautiously.</p><p>"What about <em> your family</em>, Tobirama?"</p><p>"You mean Hashirama's family." Tobirama corrected him with the same irritable tone, looking over his shoulder.</p><p>"<em>Hashirama</em>", not "<em>Anija</em>" as usual. Madara was surprised by the detail.</p><p>"What happened between you and Hashirama?"</p><p>Upon hearing the question, the shinobi turned around, positioned himself in front of Madara. "And what does it matter?"</p><p>Something big. <em> Something strong. </em></p><p>Tobirama's emotions were very intense, despite his neutral face, <em> they </em> constantly trickled down to his chakra, but at that moment, Madara found <em> nothing. </em> As if it were just standing water. Or worse, just ice.</p><p>"Are you always going to do that?" Madara asked, returning to the main subject.</p><p>Because honestly... <em> He didn't know what to do. </em></p><p>"How many times have they been?" Tobirama inquired with boredom.</p><p>"Five."</p><p>The Senju kept his lips open, saying nothing and even compressed them, but the curve of his mouth made it look like he was trying not to smile. Then he looked to the new god in the eye again.</p><p>"Well, Madara." He said. "I wanted to give you good news..."</p><p>Tobirama was making fun of him.</p><p>
  <em> Great. </em>
</p><p>Everything Madara wanted most at that moment.</p><p>"But I'm afraid the answer is yes." The shinobi continued. "I will not submit to your new world."</p><p>Madara shook his head, looking for internal forces to continue that debate and to find a solution to the problem that was before him.</p><p>"You have to be against it." Madara enunciated, "I am here-"</p><p>"Enough!" Tobirama raged, bursting his chakra and creating destruction in reflex. He went towards Madara and continued. “This is not about you! It's about me!  It's me, Madara!”</p><p>The Uchiha remained quiet, silently waiting for an explanation from the other man, who, as soon noticed his outburst, retreated, taking a deep breath and readjusting his posture.</p><p>"I'm tired." The Senju manifested in a sober voice. "I got tired."</p><p>Madara blinked, confused by the speech.</p><p>"I'm dead." Tobirama said, as if explaining something. "Let me go."</p><p>The new god opened his eyes wide and simply uttered a denial, starting a debate with the Senju who continued to reveal what he felt.</p><p>
  <em> Tiredness. </em>
</p><p>"I died." Tobirama roared at some point. "Let me stay dead."</p><p>Madara replied that it was no longer necessary that his body was at its peak and that it was improved, but the Senju really didn't seem to care about this and that made the new god scared, because it explained so much. </p><p>It wasn't Tobirama escaping from Tsukuyomi...</p><p>It was the world of dreams fulfilling his will.</p><p>His real will.</p><p>
  <em> Make everyone happy and then... Die. </em>
</p><p>That realization made Madara step back and press Tobirama with his chakra in return. The Senju moved away, only for the other man to take him by the shoulders off guard, making them come closer and then, start arguing again.</p><p>"If you have respect for the time we spend together..." Tobirama said. "You could at least spare me of that."</p><p>Madara continued to deny.</p><p>The idea of forcing Tobirama into a shared Tsukuyomi seemed very tempting now, especially now that he knew the real problem.</p><p>They continued to argue, until Senju got tired and started to ignore the other man again. The silence in response was enough to reassure Madara back, although he had continued to talk about his intentions.</p><p>"Is that what you do, Tobirama?" Madara inquired. "A suicide right after everyone in your dream has become happy?"</p><p>The Senju remained silent and continued to watch the branches of the tree, instead. Madara tried not to focus on that detail of his ex lover's indifferent behavior and continued his questions.</p><p>"Is that what you were going to do?" The Uchiha asked, approaching cautiously again. "Were you going to kill yourself as soon as Konoha was founded?"</p><p>"Yes, Madara." Tobirama replied with narrowed eyes and a scornful tone of voice. "I was going to kill myself and leave my brother alone."</p><p><em> Perhaps not </em>, Madara considered. He recalled the denial of his request for accompaniment when he prepared to leave the village.</p><p>"Maybe not before." The new god enunciated. "But what about after?"</p><p>As soon as he said the words, Madara remembered a detail and went back to his ex lover. "Is that why you were killed by those two idiot brothers?"</p><p>"What do you mean?" Tobirama replied with a frown.</p><p>"You think I don't know about your final battle against-" Madara broke off, searching his mind to point out the correct names of the two brothers, but his mind seemed disinterested and he just chose to continue with his speech. "<em>Those idiots </em>and worse, being killed by them."</p><p>"Are you aware of their skills?" The Senju turned around giving him complete attention. "They killed A."</p><p>“<em>Who?”</em> Madara asked instead.</p><p>The Uchiha shook his head and made a dismissive hand gesture.</p><p>"It doesn't matter." He articulated, pointing his finger at the other man. "You let them kill you!"</p><p>Tobirama looked up as he raised an eyebrow. "You are assuming things."</p><p>Then the Senju turned his back on him again and back to pay attention to the tree.</p><p>"There was no way they could have beaten you." Madara continued.</p><p>At that moment, the Uchiha saw Tobirama inhale deeply and he was sure the other man was rolling his eyes. "How do you know that, Madara?"</p><p>The new god narrowed his eyes in suspicion of the shinobi's misunderstanding. "Tobirama... You created a space-time warp just to be faster than Izuna."</p><p>
  <em> Faster than Izuna's sharingan. </em>
</p><p>Sometimes, Madara was terrified by the idea that Izuna's death seemed to be just a matter of time, as if it were fate or something, because if he hadn't been killed that day in the Hagoromo's ambush, he could have been killed by his longtime rival, Tobirama.</p><p>The concept that the man who had been his lover could have killed his brother at some point, haunted him and Madara would not deny that it was one of the many reasons for his support for Tsukuyomi...</p><p>"I should have expected this." Madara revealed, turning his face away. "You never wanted to become a Hokage."</p><p>"How do you know that?" Tobirama asked to look over his shoulder. "Many things happened after you left."</p><p>"Because leaders must be like the light to guide others through dark times." Madara spoke, hoping that the words of that speech would make his lover of the past remember his own beliefs. "You would rather have the freedom to do what you want without having... expectations about you."</p><p>Tobirama turned away, but not to pay attention to the tree, but to the opposite side of the new god.</p><p>"A leader must be liked for his acts of kindness and piety, as a form of love and enchantment for the sympathy of the others." The Uchiha continued.</p><p>When he said that, Tobirama turned and looked him up and down and Madara understood the subliminal message.</p><p>"You know how my clan treated me." Madara expressed with irritation.</p><p>He wasn't a popular leader and loved by his own people. The Uchihas no longer wanted wars, but they also did not want to give in to the Senjus' peace proposal. Madara was slow to complete the first part and gave in the second, causing a stir and negativity in his people against him.</p><p>Madara continued to speak, but was soon interrupted by the other man.</p><p>"How did you even get your hands on Edo Tensei?" Tobirama asked.</p><p>"I just did." The Uchiha presented with serenity.</p><p>One of his clones, accompanied by Zetsu, went to Konoha, because at that time, Madara had not yet reached the Rinnegan and needed to be brought back to life somehow in the future, the Edo Tensei created by his lover would fit as a solution to that problem.</p><p>The Edo Tensei had the problem of being a technique that bent the soul invoked to the desires of his summoner, but Madara was convinced that he could find a loophole or create some escape for the occasion, but for that he needed to go to the source and was until Konoha. Tobirama's premature death ended up having Madara to speed up his plans.</p><p>His clone did not report much on his visit, except for the infrastructural changes in Konoha, with new establishments and many, many more people since his departure. Zetsu revealed that they had arrived "late" and that had some mishaps on the way, but in the end, they managed to get the technique for him.</p><p>With "<em>mishaps</em>", Zetsu wanted to say some deaths, but he did not pay much attention, as it was only three deaths: two from a civil clan that by sheer misfortune were close and halfway to the destination and the other was a Uchiha, who was killed for “survival of intentions”, only.</p><p>And although it bothered him to have to slaughter one of his own people, Madara, just as many times during that moment, chose not to be shaken by it and move on, believing in his goals and that he was doing the best.</p><p>In front of him, Tobirama narrowed his eyes again, but in a <em> different way. </em> In that way that made it look like if he were an Uchiha, a sharingan would be spinning in his eyes at that moment.</p><p>"Impossible." The Senju spoke in a low, deep and suspicious voice. "I asked Kagami to <em> fix this </em> in my laboratory."</p><p>"Well..." Madara said, raising an eyebrow. He didn't know who this “<em> Kagami </em>” was, but it must not have been important. "I think he lied to you."</p><p>Tobirama inclined his head with a neutral expression, as if considering Madara's response in some way. Analysing him, in truth.</p><p>Then he turned his back and walked ahead again. Madara, a little further back, frowned when he heard that his ex lover was talking some things, perhaps more to himself than to him to hear.</p><p>Apparently, according to what his lover was talking about and Madara managed to capture, the man had been under his command for a relative time and was someone to be trusted. However, all Madara focused on was that such a man should not be so trustworthy - at least not for him - after all he didn't even try to stop his ex lover's <em> stupid act </em>before his death.</p><p>Tobirama continued to talk about the man through random details, such as the fact that he had a son who was two years old at the time of his death. What confirmed for Madara the detail about him having "families" was a factor in Senju's death.</p><p>"Who is this Kagami?" The new god questioned, rolling his eyes, in an attempt to prevent the other man from continuing to talk about it. </p><p>"He even said he was going to use <em> Amaterasu.</em>"         </p><p>At that moment, Madara almost felt his heart skip a beat.</p><p>
  <em> Amaterasu? </em>
</p><p>Amaterasu as the black flames technique that only his clan held through the Sharingan?</p><p>Was the man an Uchiha?</p><p>This was not a good thing.</p><p>Was this man the third death?</p><p>His mind tried to capture the memory provided by his clone and the lines that Zetsu described from the third death, which they had to do, otherwise they simply wouldn't be able to get what they wanted.</p><p>The Uchiha man was in Tobirama's laboratory and he was putting away some things, tidying them up with dedication and then, he saw Madara's clone. He must not have recognized him or was too focused on preventing anyone from interrupting his goal and Madara's clone found himself helpless. In the end, the man was killed and Zetsu said he had already taken care of the body.</p><p>Madara never considered that Uchiha to be someone Tobirama trusted. Even more considering the situation of the Uchihas during his rule.</p><p>
  <em> (The Uchiha coup attempt has been seen since the time of the Tobirama government.) </em>
</p><p>Madara's clone had considered it to be the usurpation of the Uchihas who followed his ideals over the techniques of his ex lover, not someone of confidence of the <em> Second Hokage </em>preparing to destroy everything.</p><p>Madara could have recognized him for the chance that the man was one of the first children of the Uchiha clan to live without joining the army, but in his defense, because of his growing unpopularity, beyond all the problems he was going through, much of of his stay in Konoha was in isolation alongside the Senju brothers. His dismissal as leader of the clan should have been no problem, since there was practically a new leader even before his betrayal of the Will of Fire.</p><p>
  <em> He had to change the subject. </em>
</p><p>"He lied to you." Madara replied, giving the final answer and went back to the main subject. "Why do <em> that, </em>Tobirama?"</p><p>The Senju stopped, tilting his head, curious. "Why did you change the subject?"</p><p>Changing the subject with Hashirama was "normal" due to the quick fluidity of the conversation that the Senju had with various subjects entering into another one.</p><p>Changing the subject with Tobirama could give the Senju the idea that you were hiding something or trying to deceive him. </p><p>"What?" Madara asked with false tranquility.           </p><p>However, at that moment, Tobirama seemed to remember something and turned his face to the two cocoons near him, where his brother and his student were. He frowned and his gaze started to wander around, but his concentration was elsewhere...</p><p>"<em>Saru </em>told me that Kagami had disappeared after my death." Tobirama issued.</p><p>With "<em>Saru</em><em>"</em>, Tobirama meant Sarutobi, the Third Hokage. Madara took a deep breath, pressing his lips together in an involuntary gesture of distress.</p><p>That time where the Hokages spent running away from him and the <em> stupid boy </em>decides to talk about the deaths of old companions to his teacher. It was no coincidence that Madara detested him...</p><p>The Senju continued to speak out of this, <em> connecting the dots. </em></p><p>"They thought he tried to avenge me..." The man said. "So many years have passed since his disappearance that they had to declare him dead..."</p><p>Madara closed his eyes and shook his head.</p><p>
  <em> He really should have killed that boy before. </em>
</p><p>The Uchiha opened his eyes as soon as his sensory abilities alerted him to a new danger: Tobirama's chakra was wavering, breaking out and then retreating.</p><p>Like the waves of the ocean. Advancing and retreating. </p><p>
  <em> Instability. </em>
</p><p>Tobirama turned to him with an expression of what appeared to be <em> concern. </em> "<em>Did you kill him?" </em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Some notes: According to one of the Databook, the Second Raikage was also called "A" and Tobirama referred to him by his personal name, rather than the title. Therefore, Madara did not recognize.<br/>In addition, the fact that the Second Raikage was killed or not, within the canonical is unknown... Here I chose "yes", taking advantage of the difference in "status" that Tsunade gave when describing Tobirama "surviving".</p><p>Despite not having used the technique in Izuna, Madara eventually met Hiraishin during his time with Tobirama.</p><p>According to the canonical material, Madara already had a "plan" in case Obito didn't want to bring him back, which was Edo Tensei and he was aware of some tricks of the technique, which is at least strange, since Tobirama and he they seemed to avoid each other's presence and it seems quite impossible for them to decide to work on it for some reason.</p><p>I always found it interesting that of the six ninjas next to Tobirama, only Kagami, "the Uchiha under the wings of the Second Hokage", died not long after. There are many possibilities of what may have happened to him...<br/>With "Fix anything", Tobirama wanted to say to "destroy everything".</p><p>And again, according to the canonical material, Tobirama, in addition to the war and his investments in the village, had to deal with Uchihas doubting of his actions with one of them including "planning to reclaim power from the Senju clan". Madara, through Zetsu, knew this and really believed that the man (Kagami) was one of them.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Again, Tobirama was watching his brother alongside the leader of the Uchihas.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, everyone.<br/>I am really sorry for the delay in posting.<br/>Many things happened and I ended up being delayed in so many things... I'm really sorry.<br/>Anyway, here is the new chapter that, like others, had to be split in two and the numbering had to change again.<br/>I hope you like it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Again, Tobirama was watching his brother alongside the leader of the Uchihas. He remained distant, analyzing the movements of the two men, slowly narrowing his eyes, feeling one of his temples throb.</p><p>Tobirama was tired.</p><p>His brother and his friend should think that the alliance should only be founded and then, everyone would go home to live their lives in peace, but the reality was far from that.</p><p>That was a union of two clans that spent more than centuries, more than a millennium, fighting each other and now, they were united under the same flag to live in the same space. It was not just a question of shaking hands and being close, improvements had to be made and more deals with between them.</p><p>The ideological differences were proving to be only a second problem, since the big shock of the two great cultures at the last meeting of their councils.</p><p>His people, the Senjus, were extremely attached to their own culture and were manifesting themselves in a sneaky way in their disgust at the union to create the village.</p><p>It hurt Tobirama's pride to admit that, but it was the Uchihas who seemed more interested in stabilizing the village than the Senjus and that was terrible.</p><p>(Izuna lied.)</p><p>The clan of the main founder, Hashirama, was the most opposed to the alliance. It might be small, but any split in the alliance was a lure for enemies' problems and antics. Furthermore, it proved what Tobirama had long feared: the alliance was made exclusively by Hashirama.</p><p>Only Hashirama, because Madara was just a mess of broken and deformed pieces from a man deeply affected by the loss of his last loved one and was dragged into it. On the other hand there was Tobirama, who was not ashamed to admit that he himself did not was in favor of the alliance with the Uchihas.</p><p>Tobirama believed that the first union of his clan should be done with a small or neutral clan, because the Senjus preferred to join any other clan -<em> literally any other clan </em> - than with the Uchihas, moreover, it would be a good social experiment, because Senjus rarely had allies in their battle history and a smaller union would allow for better analysis and possible rearrangements over time to improve the infrastructure of the union, taking into account how complicated his people could be to deal with their ideologies and miscegenated culture.</p><p>In the end, Hashirama did not hear him and there was that mess of two clans being forced or falsely courteous in their meetings, while their two leaders strolled through the village as if there were no worries.</p><p>The ideological shock, the opposing cultures and the enormous grudge between them would still break the village in two and extinguish the real intention of that creation. And deep down, he was already fearing the failure of Konoha's continuity and the two clans would not hesitate to blame the other side if this happened, not only restarting, but further fueling their negative feelings against each other...</p><p>Tobirama was already used to most things being left in his care by his brother, but talking to the Uchihas? He expected more caution or at least, some attentiveness from Hashirama.</p><p>Talking to Hikaku, a kind of Madara surrogate according to rumors within the Senjus, was not really a problem and Tobirama even could say that he was starting to sympathize with the man, but still…</p><p>He was having problems.</p><p>There was a ten-year-old Tobirama who believed that emotions should be macerated and subdued for the sake of a strong objective, however, that young Tobirama was willing to overcome - even if difficulty - the death of one of his brothers. However, now, many years later, not only was Kawarama buried under his feet, but Itama, his childhood friends, his first teacher, his students, his father...</p><p>And forgetting about them, their faces, their memories was being difficult.</p><p>He always thought that there would be no problems when his goal was achieved, but now that he had really reached that point, he saw that he was mistaken.</p><p>It wasn't as easy as his brother made it seem.</p><p>Hashirama would easily get over it, as he always did, because it was easy for him to forgive and forget, but... not for Tobirama.</p><p>Perhaps it was as the elders of his clan said, Tobirama was the one who truly loved and served as a Senju...</p><p>Tobirama justified to himself that the stress of his duties should be confusing his portion of emotional judgment, because he was absolutely sure that those feelings of mourning had already been extinguished long before they could surface.</p><p>He was tired of having to go to his clan meetings, because his brother was "too busy".</p><p>He was tired of having to make deals with members of his clan's army who were increasingly embittered by their dismissals.</p><p>He was tired of having to make concessions between the elders of his clan and his caustic proposals for the Uchihas.</p><p>He was tired of alerting his brother.</p><p>Tobirama had been experiencing severe migraines for his constant meetings between the clans and for always trying to remain alert, his sensory abilities captured the murderous intentions and the intrinsic hatred within the meeting room, and it was wearing him out even more.</p><p>He understood them, he really understood them, but Tobirama still prioritized rational fulfillment over personal grudges, even though he found himself having difficulty maintaining the same.</p><p>(That difficulty. That problem was making him so angry...)</p><p>It was the beginning.</p><p>This should be normal, he believed.</p><p>Tobirama studied Madara in the distance, laughing in an uncomfortable way at some speech from Hashirama.</p><p>Recently, Madara had been approaching him cautiously, but calmly and Tobirama had been wondering if his brother's comfort and safety tactics were finally proving useless. And despite his impatience to want to go to Madara himself and <em> extract the problem from the root, </em>there was a small side of him, treacherous and scathing, that he just wanted to observe the Uchiha.</p><p>It was cruel, bordering on inhumanity, to watch Madara slowly lose himself in the emptiness of mourning the loss of his last loved one. However, Tobirama was curious and this was not a mere opportunity.</p><p>He always wondered how Hashirama or even he, would continue on their way being the last of their family. Hashirama and he have always had the same goals and although they wish to remain together until the end of their lives, their goals should come first, because if it were not so, they would fall on a path of revenge and spite...</p><p>(They had already diverted once of their search for peace for the eternal rest of their two other brothers...)</p><p>Falling into a cursed path like that, would only make them become the same people they both despised and criticized when they were younger.</p><p>Tobirama raised an eyebrow suspiciously as he pondered. He believed that Madara was going through the “search” phase, where you cling to any nuance of your loved one's former existence.</p><p>And Tobirama understood that well. He really understood.</p><p>Sometimes, he was going to do that kunai and shuriken pitch training combined with Earth Release to be able to connect with Kawarama's memory. He even gets up early on Sundays to hunt and to fish in the forest as he did with his father.</p><p>Perhaps approaching the man who battled with his brother countless times in the past was part of Madara's “search” process. It was strange, but the human mind could make absurdities when immersed in emotions and Tobirama decided not to <em> face </em> the possibility and just <em> overlook </em>the approach.</p><p>
  <em> Empathy. </em>
</p><p>He forced himself to remember the word, because normally Tobirama didn't really care what others thought about him and <em> depending on the person </em>, he also didn't care what they did or didn't do.</p><p>Speaking of not caring about some people...</p><p>Tobirama still did not know how to define his feelings for Izuna, since they used to vary from indifference to disappointment, although recently some notes of contempt had been showing.</p><p>Most of Tobirama's thoughts about Izuna were summarized in “<em>Since I have no one to test this technique, it will be in Izuna</em>”. There was also a sense of pride disappointed by Izuna's death by ambushing of his own allies rather than by his hand, because Tobirama would certainly kill him.</p><p>The <em> Hiraishingiri </em>serve for this.</p><p>(Faster than the <em> Mangekyou Sharingan...</em>)</p><p>Although Tobirama was still in doubt about actually using it, because he always found himself using it, but to some extent.</p><p>Would he really kill Izuna?</p><p>He could just behead it at once, but something inside him told him that he would lower his sword at the last moment and run his sword across the other man's abdomen instead of chopping off his head.</p><p>Tobirama didn't know yet and the answer to his question was taken from him by the Hagoromos, so what difference did it make?</p><p>There was a slight note of contempt, because in his last battle encounter, while waiting for Izuna to rise from the ground, Tobirama asked him about a surrender. Izuna gave him that look that reminded him of the physical expression of the word “hate” and spat out a strong negative, saying that he would never surrender to a Senju.</p><p>He proclaimed that no Uchiha would ever surrender to a Senju, neither that day, nor ever.</p><p>Perhaps for Konoha to be founded, Izuna should die, Tobirama considered one day having tea with his brother.</p><p>He was already overtaking Izuna for a few months of battles. The hiraishin had already been created, but he had not yet used it in Izuna. <em> Perhaps next time</em>, Tobirama pondered exactly two days before the news of Izuna's death.</p><p>In addition, Izuna was blinded with hate. The Uchiha didn't really seem to know his own clan, because he should have seen the feeling of giving up most of his army or the will of peace for the majority of his clan, taking into account how Hikaku leads with considerable ease and dedication from his followers.</p><p>A general who did not know his own people…. And Tobirama was the one who was said to be “short-sighted”.</p><p>
  <em> There is always a person to prove that you are still the best, even in your flaws. </em>
</p><p>How the Uchihas brothers did not suffer a coup attempt during that time, it was still a mystery to Tobirama...</p><p> </p><p>Again, Tobirama was comforting his brother.</p><p>He ran his fingertips under his brother's wet lashes. Hashirama remained with his head resting on his legs, sniffing once in a while and keeping his weeping silent as long as he could, while tears stained the hakama of the platinum-haired man.</p><p>Tobirama didn't really mind consoling his brother, however, recently he was experiencing a crisis of “impatience” and that effort was proving more exhausting than usual.</p><p>Hashirama was the type to isolate and cry for hours on end.</p><p>On the other hand, Tobirama was the type to take a long, high-level mission that required high expertise from espionage, infiltration and mass execution.</p><p>(It was what he did after the death of his loved ones...)</p><p>Now that Madara had not only betrayed the village, but also brought a great threat against them and was killed by Hashirama, which was already bad, it got worse and his brother was taking it to an unusually deep level.</p><p>He could tell Hashirama that he was also suffering a loss, but he was <em> not </em> . Tobirama did not know if he had simply overcome his feelings for Madara just by determination and focus as he always did or if there would still be a wave of mourning, once he could really <em> rest</em>.</p><p>His alleged mourning had not yet appeared.</p><p>He didn't feel like crying, but in fact, Tobirama never felt like crying.</p><p>Hashirama sniffed again and in the end, sighed almost inaudibly. He was almost falling asleep and Tobirama went back to stroking his hair in an attempt to speed up the process.</p><p>His clones were scattered throughout the village, while he remained there beside Hashirama.</p><p>At the beginning of Madara's betrayal, he was angry, <em> very angry, </em> but since <em> that night</em>, he saw everything more... <em> away. </em></p><p>He even considered that his feelings for Madara were still being pushed down only by his extreme dedication to serving other priorities and it wouldn't be a problem, because it meant that at one time or another, they would simply be extinguished before he even realized...</p><p>But… now something was telling Tobirama that whatever was <em> down </em> there was already <em> dead </em>and he still couldn't identify exactly where or how it happened.</p><p>
  <em> Where or how it happened... </em>
</p><p>Tobirama caught a chakra approaching the hut and he frowned considering who would be bold enough to go to them directly, but his chakra analysis soon pointed to Hikaku.</p><p>He narrowed his eyes.</p><p>It was a brave move and although slightly irritated, Tobirama tried to force himself to see something <em> positive </em> and he leaned forward carefully, watching his brother's face and concluding that he was distracted and tired enough to notice a new clone of his to guard him.</p><p>Tobirama left the room quickly and quietly, coming face to face with a Hikaku who seemed minimally desperate.</p><p>"May I help you?" Tobirama interjected, closing the door behind him.</p><p>Hikaku stepped back slightly, as if intimidated by his presence, but soon the man lifted his shoulders, taking a deep breath.</p><p>"I would like to speak to the Hokage." The Uchiha asked with his posture readjusted.</p><p>The platinum-haired man raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.</p><p>"Well, Hikaku..." He enunciated. "Like so many times since the past few months, you're going to have to talk to me."</p><p>"This case is different." The other man replied immediately.</p><p>Tobirama inclined his head disinterested.</p><p>"What a pity for you." The Senju spoked, turning his back on the man and bringing his hand to the door. "You'll have to come back another time."</p><p>"Wait."</p><p>The platinum-haired man stopped and looked over his shoulder, watching the Uchiha sighing, lowering his shoulders, manifesting his defeat.</p><p>"Look, I understand that the Hokage may be exhausted and-" Hikaku said, looking around and then, taking a deep breath again. "I just want to ensure that there will be no reprisals."</p><p>"Reprisals?" Tobirama issued, raising an eyebrow. "Hikaku, I understand that the alliance must be something very strange to you and the fact that my brother has to make such an arduous decision-"</p><p>"Madara deserved to die." The Uchiha said, interrupting him with an expression of veiled fury and soon after, he lowered his face and looked around. "How are we going to tell our children that one of our leaders tried to kill us?"</p><p>The platinum-haired man turned around completely, but he did not fold his arms, as usually he does, he paid full attention to the other man.</p><p>(Normally Tobirama would have already crossed his arms, but when it came to diplomacy and even more so at that moment with a man who was in an extremely stressful situation, he was forced to choose a more open and comfortable posture and not one of <em> denial and imperiousness </em>as always does.</p><p><em> An open posture meant an open mind to the lines on the other side.</em>)</p><p>"First, he drags us into it and then he attacks us, because we don't follow him?" Hikaku questioned more for himself than for his listener.</p><p>"My brother and I have the same goals and I know that you and many within your people too..." Tobirama articulated in a softer tone of voice. "We don't want any war and we understand perfectly that Madara doesn't speak for you."</p><p>"<em>No. </em>He doesn't speak." The Uchiha said, ensuring the dissociation of his clan from Madara's actions. "He doesn't represent us."</p><p>"Just as you want the best for your people, so does my brother." The Senju explained by moving away from the bedroom door and following how the other man followed him in silence. "He's not that type of man."</p><p>"How about you?" Hikaku asked.</p><p>"Pardon?"</p><p>At that moment, the other shinobi took another deep breath and continued to accompany him in slow and smooth steps.</p><p>"Everyone in the village is looking at us and commenting that we are not to be trusted, that we are trying to kill the Hokage..." He said, looking at the wall beside him on the way. "This is not true."</p><p>Tobirama stopped at the entrance to the small hut where they were standing, implicitly guiding Hikaku to the exit. </p><p>“Madara did not attack just you and the Uchihas. He attacked all of us.” He turned and spoke again. "People tend to look for an outlet for their fears and unfortunately, you and your people are the first option."</p><p>He looked around and then at the other man. "Which clearly, is not justified."</p><p>"You talk as if you don't believe them either..." Hikaku said with a frown looking forward. "I saw the way you looked at us that night."</p><p>There was a moment of silence where Tobirama searched the memory described by the Uchiha in his mind.</p><p>"Really?" He inquires calmly. "And how was it?"</p><p>“With <em> hatred.</em>"</p><p>The Senju narrowed his eyes to look ahead like the man beside him.</p><p>He really remembered watching the fight from a distance, before his brother tried to take it to the edge of the Land of Fire, seeing with his own eyes, Madara attacking Hashirama as in the wars between the clans.</p><p>At some point, he captured <em> a chakra </em> behind him and must have looked over his shoulder in the direction to see who it was, seeing Hikaku and the other two Uchihas at his side. Although, he didn't remember the “hate” part of his look, but it must be true somehow, he believed.</p><p>His family used to say that his eyes were extremely expressive for <em> the bad. </em> And now analyzing that detail, he already knew <em> what </em>had happened.</p><p>He had found <em>what </em>he wanted.</p><p>
  <em> Where or how it happened... </em>
</p><p>Tobirama hummed with unconcern. "I think you missed the <em> target </em>of my feeling."</p><p>There followed another moment of silence, where Hikaku should be skeptical of his speech, but again, Tobirama did not care what people thought of him and even though he sympathized with Hikaku and acknowledged that they were both in an inconvenient situation, he it did not interest him to <em> the necessary extent. </em></p><p>However, Tobirama had to make it <em> necessary. </em></p><p>"Hikaku, I know you're under a lot of pressure." The Senju said, breaking the silence. "I ask that you trust your allies more."</p><p>The Uchiha took a deep breath once more when he heard the speech.</p><p>"The village is still a complex experiment and I doubt that the issues will be resolved anytime soon, especially with this new addition..." The man with platinum hair confessed, looking around.</p><p>Hikaku said nothing, but made a sound of interest, confirming his attention in the conversation.</p><p>"And you are right, I have my own problems with your clan..." Tobirama revealed and then looked directly at the man beside him. "Just like you have with mine."</p><p>Tobirama remembered Tōka's mischievous smile as he watched Hikaku frown, still looking forward.</p><p>"But I recognize that you are doing your best." The man continued. "You are an admirable person for putting intentions of peace before your feelings and no one can despise that."</p><p>Hikaku relaxed his posture, looking at the floor this time.</p><p>"You even came to us directly." The Senju narrowed his eyes, observing the profile of the other shinobi. "Another person would rather keep his doubts and sabotage everything under the hood."</p><p>Tobirama saw no problem in stating that, because somehow, it was <em> true. </em></p><p>"It makes me realize that I can trust you." He expressed.</p><p>At that moment, the new leader of the Uchihas turned around giving him complete attention.</p><p>"I promise for myself and my brother that we have nothing to avenge on the Uchiha clan for Madara's action."</p><p>What Tobirama did not know is that he would never be able to promise that for his own clan and for future generations of civilians and other noble or minor clans...</p><p> </p><p>Again, Tobirama turned his eyes to the other Hokages.</p><p>"I asked you to look after him!" Minato raged with watery eyes, turning to the Third Hokage. "It was the only thing I asked for you."</p><p>Sarutobi closed his eyes, turned his face to the side and answered. "And I did that."</p><p>"No!" The younger man replied, approaching with his chakra again covering him like a golden aura. "You left him alone."</p><p>Tobirama remained close to the two men, arms crossed, considering in a strange way that if the Fourth Hokage had not lost both arms, he would have been gesturing effusively at that moment.</p><p>After a few days away from the epicenter of the war tragedy, the reincarnated Hokages saw themselves as the likely last chance for salvation for that world. However, they still haven't found any solution to their problem yet and now, Madara was hunting them.</p><p>It was only a matter of time before they found them and who knows what he could do with them. They were immune to Tsukuyomi, but it didn't mean that Madara wouldn't take that away from them in some way.</p><p>"And you still left the village to mistreat him." Minato spoke again, walking back and forth.</p><p>Tobirama raised an eyebrow with slight disdain. He didn't know the Fourth Hokage well enough to say much, but he seemed to be a composed and rational person and although that situation was hopeless, in the least euphemistic terms, that was being an overreaction.</p><p>The Second Hokage tried to justify that the possible loss of Naruto before his eyes, may have affected the man's complete emotional balance, as well as the whole world being affected as a result. Not everyone would handle it well and the Fourth Hokage, after days or weeks, was beginning to realize how bad their real situation was. </p><p>"And what did you expect?" Tobirama said nonchalantly, looking at the man. "It's not a very smart move to put a beast inside a child, you know..."</p><p>Minato seemed almost offended by his speech.</p><p>After all that time, they had already shared a lot about their stories and four days ago, Sarutobi told about Naruto…</p><p>It was there that the problems began.</p><p>"Do you know what's not a very smart move?" The Fourth Hokage asked rhetorically. "Putting Uchihas in the Police Force."</p><p>Tobirama raised his eyebrow again, silently questioning the other man's point, understanding that he tried to look for some flaw in his government for this.</p><p>Minato soon understood his silent questioning and lowered his shoulders in frustration, acknowledging his emotional lack of control. "Sorry, I-"</p><p>The Senju man softened his expression and approached the other man.</p><p>"I do not really care." Tobirama spoke. "Why don't you try to get away and stay on the watch with <em> anija?"</em></p><p>The blond-haired man nodded with a pained expression and turned, heading towards the First Hokage that was near the entrance, oblivious to the whole situation.</p><p>"Thank you." Tobirama said as he watched the man carry out his order.</p><p>There was a moment of silence that was broken only by Sarutobi's hesitant and even tired voice. "I took care of Naruto the way I could-"</p><p>"Coming from you, I also have my doubts." Tobirama interrupted him by looking over his shoulder.</p><p>The Third Hokage seemed really surprised by his phrase. "Pardon?"</p><p>Like Minato, who had not stopped talking about it since the first mention, Tobirama had many things stuck in his throat that his mind was continually gloating and agonizing for some release.</p><p>And despite finding the Fourth Hokage's absurdly emotional action strange, Tobirama understood that he was not the former leader of Konoha there, but a father who died defending his son and hoped for the best fate for the child. In addition, Minato already knew what Naruto had been through, but he didn't know the detail that Sarutobi had somehow <em> allowed it </em> to happen.</p><p>Tobirama had never passed his blood on and he really didn't understand how precious and deep a father-son relationship should be. His only references were his own father and how much he, as an uncle, loved his nephews. So he could just assume it was something even more powerful than that.</p><p>While his brother blamed himself for the whole situation with Madara, his student for the failure with Danzō and the Fourth Hokage for having died too soon, Tobirama really had no regrets.</p><p>He did what he thought was right and if trying to put the Uchihas in a position that would help them socialize more assertively with civilians and with a high position among the other clans was his mistake...So be it.</p><p>If he hadn't done absolutely nothing and had left the Uchihas as they were, he would still be guilty and accused of being a negligent leader.</p><p>Between Madara sabotaging the image of his own clan by bringing a beast against the village and his brother doing absolutely nothing towards the Uchiha clan for the next years of his government - <em> believing that it was better that way </em>- Tobirama was forced to try a new approach.</p><p>But even his act was seen as suspicious by the Uchihas and apparently, not only by them...</p><p>"Did you really think I left the Uchihas in that position to keep an eye on them?" Tobirama asked, turning to the other man.</p><p>Sarutobi opened his eyes wide and opened his mouth and closed it, repeating the movement several times like a fish out of water.</p><p>"No, I-" The man broke off in his explanation and looked around, anywhere but Tobirama's gaze. "I just-"</p><p>And he fell silent again, repeating the same movements as before. Tobirama remained silent, watching the other man's actions.</p><p>After a few seconds, the man finally spoke a complete sentence. "Danzō thought that too."</p><p>If Tobirama were alive, his temple would be throbbing, but for now, he was at least grateful that he was not brought in at full strength, which prevented him from shaping his chakra and spreading it around as he did when alive and which caused tremors that Konoha suffered when he was stressed.</p><p>"I'm not talking about him, but about you." Tobirama said, lifting his chin coolly. "Danzō was not my student, you were."</p><p>“Your move to put them in that position was a surprise to everyone. We could only assume that this was the case.” Sarutobi articulated with a voice accelerated by some nervousness.</p><p>Nervousness <em> of what </em>exactly, Tobirama had no idea. This was an informal conversation and not the interrogations he used to do while on duty. If Sarutobi was already like this for some questions, in a short time, he would be crying.</p><p>Furthermore, it was not as if he had simply forced the Uchihas to take office. </p><p>(How in the world could he force more than a hundred people to do something without suffering an attempt of coup d'état? Even though he was being careful, he was already on the way to suffer one.)</p><p>The decision to take the duty was voted among the members themselves and accepted by the majority and Tobirama left the rest of the decisions in the hands of the Uchihas themselves. If they wanted to build their base within the territory of the district itself or near the prison it was their decision, all he did was provide the capital for it after the decision was made.</p><p>Unfortunately, Tobirama found himself becoming increasingly irritated by the statements and narrowed his eyes, looking at the man who had not yet raised his head to face him. "Were you that stupid before or after my death?"</p><p>"Sir, I-"</p><p>"Because if it went before, I was certainly the stupidest of all of us here when I nominated you for the role." The Senju said, uncrossing his arms.</p><p>May Sasuke forgave him, but his heir had become a weaker project than many, once, expected for him.</p><p>Sarutobi shook his head in a negative way with a frown. "Sir, I acknowledge that I have had many failures."</p><p>“<em> Only. </em>You only had failures.” Tobirama corrected him, returning to the previous position with his arms crossed over his chest.</p><p>The Third Hokage raised his head and his expression seemed to be shocked, almost horrified by his speech, and soon after, in silence, he lowered his head again.</p><p>
  <em> Passivity. </em>
</p><p>At that moment, Tobirama found himself questioning about the emotional effects that the Fourth Hokage had just suffered, because he was about to have the same lack of control, but it was out of anger.</p><p>And he hated losing control of his emotions.</p><p>In addition to being angry about all that, now he was getting angry because he was getting angry.</p><p>That was... <em> brilliant</em>.</p><p>So, he looked up and took a deep breath. The effect did not have the same effect it would have had when he was alive, but he forced himself to be content and seek self-control in the idea of what the damage had already been done. Unfortunately, his mind was always so curious, and he was still focused on finding the reasons for the <em> deviation. </em></p><p>
  <em> Detour. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Corruption. </em>
</p><p>There were six people present on his way to his last battle and apparently, only two of them had heard his words, in fact one, because according to his student, Kagami had disappeared not long after his death.</p><p>The other four distorted their last will to a point that Tobirama found himself questioning if he had not actually been brought back to life in an alternative reality as the multiverse theory explained by that civil scientist in Land of Silence claims. </p><p>With his face still up, Tobirama spoke again. "Not only did you forget the main reason for the creation of the village and you failed to propagate my brother's will, but you also failed to fulfill my last words."</p><p>"I trained a future generation."</p><p>Upon hearing Sarutobi's response, the Senju felt one of his eyes close in a lapse like a <em> nervous tic </em>and he lowered his face to face the man. In reflex, Hiruzen looked down again and turned his face away when the Second Hokage approached.</p><p>Tobirama stopped at a distance and returned to express himself. "You trained a deserter who stole one of my techniques and even corrupted the last member of the Uchiha clan."</p><p>The other man nodded.</p><p>"I really failed with Orochimaru." The Sarutobi man said. "I should have killed him earlier."</p><p>At that moment, in an impulse that Tobirama cannot control, he curled his upper lip in an expression of disdain and crossed his arms again.</p><p>"It should and it could, but it didn't." The man spoke, gesturing with one arm and pointing at his interlocutor. "All the people that man corrupted or murdered after that day are your responsibility."</p><p>"I know, sir." Hiruzen nodded positively, still with his head down, like a frightened child.</p><p>"No, you don't know." Tobirama said by increasing his tone of voice and realizing this, he lowered his tone again. "Because even after that, you still allowed Danzō to do what he wanted."</p><p>"There were things that I didn't know-"</p><p>"You were the Hokage!" The Senju exclaimed, uncrossing his arms in a sudden act that was enough to create a disturbance in the air by the burst of his energy. Sarutobi stepped back a little when he found himself in the same place he had previously seen Orochimaru and Itachi's younger brother. "You were the manifest entity of the village!"</p><p>The Senju saw no justification or reason in Sarutobi's motivations for letting Danzō take charge of countless situations. His own advisers, Koharu and Homura, preferred to support Danzō more than him: their former leader of his team of three, their childhood friend and their Hokage<em>. </em></p><p>Tobirama had been a Hokage... <em> alone. </em></p><p>He did not have a right arm like his brother had Madara at the beginning of the foundation or a principal advisor as he himself acted for the First Hokage eventually.</p><p>He was his own balance of decisions.</p><p>He alone had to make all the decisions. Good or bad.</p><p>He had to take care of his brother's dream after his death.</p><p>(Even after seeing himself as the last of his four brothers...)</p><p>Not only did he have to be the diplomat, he was also the general.</p><p>What he did not know in the village was simply something he had not yet created. He even knew of the beginning of the Uchiha revolts to take power from his hands.</p><p>No major decision was made without his knowledge.</p><p>
  <em> "What is important is the village. The village is vital.” </em>
</p><p>Tobirama raised an eyebrow, studying the other man. "Don't you realize that acting behind your back, he betrayed the village?"</p><p>Sarutobi did not reply.</p><p>Approaching and using a lower, almost <em> serene </em> tone of voice, he inquired. "Did you become so weak with effort or will, that a child had to take your duties for you?"</p><p>How can he forget that the Third Hokage left all the weight of the nightmare of a mass execution in the hands of a preteen?</p><p>There were things that would not affect Tobirama, such as illusions like the one that Madara put him on and he had to leave on his own. However, there was a difference between knowledge of reality and illusion. Nothing prevented the boy, one day waking up realizing the real tragedy he was subjected to and committed, and then betraying the village. This time, <em> for real. </em></p><p>"How pathetic did you become?" The Senju almost whispered against the other man's face.</p><p>"I'm really sorry." Sarutobi responded by trying to keep his voice steady.</p><p>(Never show fear in front of your tormentor.</p><p>Or like the <em> bad tongues </em> of the clans said: [...] before the <em> Sinister...</em>)</p><p>There was another <em> lapse </em> in Tobirama's vision and an expression of contempt soon followed the previous movement.</p><p>“Do you feel? This does not matter anymore." He said, increasing his tone again. "You have corrupted and tainted the Will of Fire."</p><p>"Tobirama!"</p><p>The Second Hokage turned around, meeting his older brother's sideways glance, who was looking at him over his shoulder, still in his watch position at the entrance to the place.</p><p>The man turned his attention to Sarutobi, who had closed his eyes and seemed to make an effort not to show fear or <em> cry</em>, and that realization made the Senju man roll his eyes in a rare moment of child neglect and withdraw, as when he lost interest in the stories of his older brother or in the games of his childhood friends.</p><p>He walked towards the First Hokage and stood beside him, quickly missing something. "Where's the Fourth Hokage?" </p><p>"He left." Hashirama responded immediately.</p><p>When Tobirama opened his lips to emit something, a shadow passed over him, leaving the place at high speed. The Second Hokage understood that his successor was retiring, probably in search of some <em> rest </em>after what had just happened.</p><p>
  <em> Good. </em>
</p><p>Tobirama turned his attention back to his older brother. "And did you allow it?"</p><p>Hashirama narrowed his eyes.</p><p>"I am not a nanny, Tobirama." He replied. "I already had to take care of you and Sarutobi."</p><p>Since the defeat and capture of the last shinobi, Hashirama has had that empty expression and a very bad mood. Moments like that made his clan members whisper among themselves that the face of the <em> God of Shinobi </em>was showing, but Tobirama did not see that.</p><p>He saw <em> something else. </em></p><p>The physical similarities.</p><p>That stern expression.</p><p>That profile analyzing the horizon.</p><p>The crimson armor.</p><p>
  <em> Father. </em>
</p><p>Tobirama smiled in a minimal way, just arching his lips and feeling a small wave of feeling rock his mind. Hashirama noticed his movement, as if the fact that Tobirama smiled was enough to disturb the vibration of the air.</p><p>"What is it?"</p><p>The Second Hokage turned his head and started walking away. "Your <em> true colors </em> are showing."</p><p>His sensory abilities captured the disturbance in his brother's chakra after his speech, but he ignored scanning the area in search of the Fourth Hokage and found the man a long walk away. Although unwilling to go so far from the hideout, he still did, choosing to organize his thoughts on the way.</p><p>When the Fourth Hokage noticed him, he just spoke without taking his eyes off the two cocoons in front of him. "Even here..."</p><p>"I'm sorry for your son, Fourth." Tobirama said, approaching and looking around.</p><p>Perhaps it was his instincts overwhelmed by paranoia or anger, but he could have sworn there was <em> something </em> else besides them and the bodies in the cocoons. Something that was hiding well, because it still captured the chakra of Hashirama and Hiruzen, but not <em> of the thing</em>.</p><p>"With the world ending, I think you can call me Minato." The Fourth Hokage said, lowering his face and looking at him with a wan smile.</p><p>"Whatever." Tobirama replied, looking over his shoulder, oblivious to his response and only when he had already said it did he notice his speech.</p><p>He turned his gaze to Minato and softened his expression, uncrossing his arms.</p><p>"It wasn't that long ago that the technique was put on..." He said, looking at the cocoons. "Maybe we still have a chance to get him back."</p><p>Tobirama understood that the Fourth Hokage was prioritizing his son's freedom first, but the Senju man saw no real problems with that.</p><p>Perhaps Naruto could be the key to the issue, taking into account, how he had been proving so useful during that time during the war, even convincing one of the enemies to their side in the last hour.</p><p>Minato bowed his head in silence.</p><p>Tobirama raised an eyebrow, curious and crossed his arms again. "Once, you improved my technique, maybe with both of us working together it will be faster."</p><p>The Namikaze looked a little surprised. "Will you help me?"</p><p>The other Hokages thought Minato's idea was a bit absurd and not “<em>Priority”</em>, as he focused on Naruto and not on the whole world, and the Fourth Hokage had their own chances, but they didn't want to take any chances due to uncertainty and despite Tobirama preferring to do checkmate move when already being sure of the opponent's defeat, he was still a researcher and had curiosities.</p><p>What would the world be without the failures of experiments?</p><p>Tobirama tilted his head and chose to smile, walking away again. "You are going to need arms anyway."</p><p>Minato made a hesitant sound, but soon followed him and with a confused voice, he asked. "Was that a joke?"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Some notes: Within the canon, Tobirama's only action for the Uchihas was to place them as policemen, because as far as I know and researched, the part of putting them to the limits of the village was Danzō's action during the Hiruzen government.</p><p>Another detail is that only Hiruzen and his team were listed to be students of Tobirama. Danzō, within the canon, is only part of his squad and I chose to use it here.</p><p>The coup d'état that Tobirama refers to is the Uchihas who doubted his actions and planned to take power from his hands.</p><p>The "Sinister" that Tobirama refers to is about himself, because of one of his most famous epithets. While his brother was referred to as "God of Shinobi", he ended up being referred to mainly as "Tobirama, the Sinister".</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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